Poplars Day Care Nursery
Good★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Swindon for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2022. Open since 2006, with 160 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 Swindon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Swindon 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
SN4 0AAWhat 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.
- 21 September 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 13 September 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy to arrive at nursery and separate from their parents easily, as the friendly and caring staff greet them. Children settle quickly and develop secure relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff work well with parents to make sure that they get to know the children well, this supports children when they first start at the nursery and as they move to different rooms within the nursery.
Children are confident and independent and have positive attitudes towards learning and taking part in the activities that are planned for them. Older children eagerly sit at the table and wait patiently to be involved in activities. They measure out their ingredients, mix them together and compare their mixtures with their peers, as they work together to make cakes. Children are excited by what they have made and proudly show off their achievements.
Staff set clear boundaries so that all children know what is expected of them. All children behave well, listen to staff and show good self-control during activities. For instance, older children are friendly, share the resources and allow other children to join in with their games. Younger children wait for their turn as they are given opportunities to choose pictures of which songs they want to sing.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- continue to develop the implementation of the curriculum so that all children are offered appropriate challenge to make the best possible progress in their learning n make better use of the outdoor learning environment, to provide more opportunities for the children to be physical, particularly for those who prefer to learn outdoors.
- 13 September 2022Good
- 31 August 2016Good
- 9 October 2012Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Poplars 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.