NurseryWise Childcare in England
Day nursery in Exeter

St David's Hill Playgroup

OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades

A day nursery in Exeter for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in October 2022. Open since 2011, with 24 places.

Call 01392 425 519

Cost

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

£6.00an hour, typical for a 2 years old
£5.56an hour, typical for a 3 and 4 years old

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.

The basics

Places, hours and the day

Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.

Who they can take
Birth to 8+Registered from birth. Whether there is a baby room is a question for the call.
When it's open
08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a weekFrom their Google listing
Funded hours
Not published, so ask them
How many children
24 placesMedium for England
How long open
16 yearsOpen for decades
Address
41b Bonhay Road, St David'S, Exeter, EX4 4BP

Where it is

EX4 4BP
Ofsted URN EY419777On the register since 23 February 2011
Ofsted

What 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, 14 October 2022 · read the full report

What it is like to attend

Staff provide a calm, welcoming and enabling environment for children. They are always on hand to support, motivate and inspire children as they play and learn.

The manager makes sure staff know and understand the curriculum. Staff plan to meet the needs of the children superbly. They provide a challenging range of activities. which captivate children's interests and build on what they already know.

For example, children have an excellent recall of stories. They confidently tell staff about the different animals the 'ten little monkeys' meet on their jungle adventure.

  • 14 October 2022Outstanding
  • 12 December 2016Good
  • 14 November 2012Good

Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.

Still missing for St David's Hill Playgroup

  • 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.

Before you ring

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.
Compare

Day nurseries within a couple of miles

This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.

Tic Tocs Day Nursery

Day nursery · Haldon Road, Exeter, EX4 4DZ

GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Babies from 9 months07:45 to 18:00, 5 days a week★ 4.9 Google, 1252 placesOpen for decades
0.1 mi
1 min walk
01392410902Their website

The Exwick Ark

Day nursery · The Old School, Exwick Road, Exeter, EX4 2AT

GoodBirth to 8+07:45 to 17:45, 5 days a week★ 5.0 Google, 2952 placesLong established
0.6 mi
11 min walk
01392 425551Their website

Littlesaints Preschool

Day nursery · School Road, Exeter, EX2 9AF

OutstandingBirth to 8+08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week16 placesOpen for decades
0.7 mi
14 min walk
01392 217 880

Tops Exeter

Day nursery · University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PL

GoodBirth to 8+08:00 to 18:30, 5 days a week★ 3.6 Google, 10104 placesOpen a few years
0.8 mi
17 min walk
01392 305305Their website

Acorns Day Nursery

Day nursery · 36 Alphington Road, Exeter, EX2 8HN

GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Babies from 9 months07:45 to 18:00, 5 days a week★ 4.4 Google, 1182 placesOpen for decades
0.9 mi
17 min walk
01392272621Their website

Pick two or three to compare.

Everything here comes from Ofsted's published childcare register, under the Open Government Licence. Ratings are quoted exactly as Ofsted gave them, with their dates. Read the full Ofsted reports · How we put this together.

All childcare in Exeter