Ottertots Day Care Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Ottery St. Mary for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2025. Open since 2007, with 80 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Devon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Devon from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
EX11 1QHWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 12 June 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children feel comfortable and settled at the nursery. They form strong attachments with the warm and friendly staff team and are familiar with the daily routines. For instance, babies point happily to the sleep room when they know it is almost time for their nap. Staff are energetic, enthusiastic and playful, which builds children's confidence to take part, have a go and express themselves creatively. Older babies follow the staff's lead to make picnic foods from play dough for their play dough people. When staff and pre-school children work together to create a story, the children raise their hand confidently to share their ideas about what will happen next. They giggle happily when staff use their imaginative ideas in the story and listen with interest to hear what suggestions their friends will make. Babies enjoy listening to nursery rhymes and they play along with musical instruments.
The management team is ambitious in their vision for the curriculum. They work with staff to design a broad and stimulating curriculum that gives children a range of experiences, both inside and outdoors, including as part of their forest school provision. Children make good progress and gain the knowledge and skills needed for later learning, including school.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the quality of staff's interactions with children, to provide even more encouragement and support for children to practise and develop their speech n provide more targeted support to build on children's next steps during adult-led activities, to engage the children fully in their play and extend their learning further.
- 12 June 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 2 December 2019Good
- 19 August 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ottertots Day Care Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.