Tinky's Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Dawlish for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2022. Open since 2010, with 29 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
EX7 0LWWhat 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, 17 October 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The pre-school is inviting and interesting for the children. Children have access to many different activities to support their learning and development. In addition, staff introduce new activities, challenges and skills every day for the children to explore and learn from. Children can choose these independently. This choice fosters confidence and a love of learning. For example, children take toys from well-organised storage areas, such as building logs or colouring pencils and paper, and develop creative and critical-thinking skills. Children choose to take part in daily group projects, such as brushing the teeth of toy dinosaurs, to develop fine motor skills, social skills and to support their awareness of the importance of dental hygiene.
Children are kind to each other. Their behaviour is positive. Children make good friends and staff model high expectations for behaviour. Children are well supported to try new things and praised for their achievements.
Children are able to explore a large outside area, where they run and play. They develop balancing skills on steppingstones and balance beams. They enjoy creating
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance children's learning further by extending activities to encourage deeper levels of concentration and learning n ensure all children develop a love of books and reading to develop strong foundations for future learning, especially in preparation for becoming future readers.
- 17 October 2022Good
- 5 December 2016Good
- 1 August 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Tinky's Pre-School
- 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.