Puffins at Manston Terrace
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Exeter for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2024. Open since 2004, with 58 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
EX2 4NPWhat 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, 24 September 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
On arrival, children happily run into the nursery and greet their friends before independently putting away their belongings. Providers have created a home-fromhome environment which supports children to feel safe and secure. Staff have strong bonds with children. Throughout the day, they offer regular reassurance and cuddles. Children new to the nursery settle quickly into the group. Staff recognise the positive impact secure bonds have on a child's learning and development. Staff visit children's homes before they attend the nursery to further create a strong link between the nursery and home.
The curriculum is good and children are well prepared for the next stage of learning. Staff support children well to learn to handle a range of tools in preparation for early handwriting. Toddlers develop hand strength and coordination as they transfer sand and water between different-sized containers. Staff support older children to learn early mathematical concepts as they draw and name different shapes, such as triangles and squares.
Children of all ages, including babies, enjoy regular trips to local parks and woodland with staff, to develop a love of the outdoors and a sense of belonging in the local community. Staff take pre-school children to visit food shops. They buy ingredients to cook cakes with, developing social and decision-making skills. Staff support children to explore charity shops to understand the importance of reusing or recycling items to help protect the planet.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the planning of group activities to ensure that older children receive further challenge n extend back-and-forth interactions to support older children to explore their ideas and interests even further n develop behaviour management strategies further to support children to understand how their behaviour impacts on others.
- 24 September 2024Good
- 11 January 2019Good
- 18 December 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Puffins at Manston Terrace
- 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.