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Archway Nursery School

Ofsted: Needs attention·
5.0(5 Google reviews)
·Hyde Farm, Pimperne, Blandford Forum, DT11 8TX · Dorset
Number of places
83 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2026
Local authority
Dorset

About this day nursery

Archway Nursery School, located in Blandford Forum, provides early years education and care for children aged 0 to 4 years, operating Monday to Friday from 07:45 to 18:00. Children typically make progress from their starting points, developing independence and a wide range of skills and knowledge.

Older children demonstrate confidence, sustained focus, and positive attitudes towards learning, actively engaging with staff and peers. The day nursery offers motivating opportunities for outdoor learning; older children enjoy stories in the forest area, while younger children develop physical skills through play.

The curriculum is broad and sequenced, designed to build on children's knowledge and skills, with staff adapting teaching through effective assessment and monitoring. Children who experience communication and language difficulties receive support using single words, short phrases, photos, signing, and visual aids.

Staff receive regular training on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and use funding appropriately to provide resources and strategies. Parents report that their children's needs are met, and they appreciate the positive partnerships and flexible induction processes.

However, the latest inspection on 12th March 2026 noted that while the setting generally meets expected standards, there are areas requiring attention concerning routines and the key-person system for babies, which do not consistently promote their welfare and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met.

What it's like

Weaknesses around routines and the implementation of the key-person system do not promote babies' wellbeing and welfare. Babies' play and learning are often interrupted, and they show signs of anxiety. Children typically enjoy their time and gain a wide range of skills and knowledge, with staff generally encouraging and supporting their learning.

Developing independenceOutdoor learning opportunitiesPositive parent partnershipsSEND supportCurriculum breadth

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 07:45 - 18:00

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Needs attention

Last inspected Mar 2026

Headline: Needs attention

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
—
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesNeeds attention
Children's welfare and wellbeingNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted report for Archway Nursery School

Last inspected 12 March 2026 · Mikaela Jauncey

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Weaknesses around routines and the implementation of the key-person system do not promote babies' wellbeing and welfare. Babies' play and learning are often interrupted, and they show signs of anxiety. Children typically enjoy their time and gain a wide range of skills and knowledge, with staff generally encouraging and supporting their learning.

Inspector highlights

  • Children typically make progress from their starting points and develop independence.
  • Older children show confidence in their abilities and sustain focus for extended periods.
  • Children benefit from motivating opportunities to learn outdoors, including listening to stories in the forest area.
  • Staff use effective assessment and monitoring to identify learning gaps and adapt teaching.
  • Partnerships with parents and carers are positive, with flexible induction processes and regular communication.

Areas to develop

  • 1implement effective routines and deploy staff effectively to minimise interruptions to babies' learning and ensure that babies feel safe, secure and supported, especially during transitions
  • 2embed a secure key-person system to promote babies' welfare and wellbeing to help babies form secure attachments to give them a sense of belonging
  • 3focus areas for development more precisely to identify areas of weakness and address these with targeted actions to make swift improvements.
Inspection #2845785 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents report that their children's needs are being met and that they are making progress in their learning and development.

Parents comment on how well their children settle. They appreciate staff's regular communication about how their children are developing.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children who experience difficulties with communication and language receive support to express themselves using single words and short phrases, using photos to help them follow routines. Staff access regular training to support their understanding of local procedures for seeking additional support and advice from other professionals. They use funding for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities appropriately to support children's access to learning, providing suitable resources and strategies such as signing and visual supports. Staff work in partnership with parents and carers to review the support in place for individual children, and parents report that their children's needs are being met.

Outdoor space

Children benefit from motivating opportunities to learn outdoors. Older children listen to stories outside and recreate characters using twigs and sticks from the forest area. Younger children enjoy kicking and rolling balls, developing their physical skills. Children balance on logs outside and climb on small equipment inside to support their physical development.

Google Reviews of Archway Nursery School

5.0
(5 Google reviews)
Charlotte Emerson
5 months ago

My daughter has been at archway since she was 12 months old. She's now 19 months and has experienced both the baby room and now the toddler room. She loves going to nursery and is always welcomed by a friendly member of staff who are all extremely professional. The quality of provision had been great with daily focus activities linked to the children's interests ( books, seasonal events) that promote language, fine motor skills and creativity. This is all communicated daily through the nursery app. The new lunch menu is varied and healthy. I'm sure My daughter's language and imaginative play has developed greatly since she began there. She's developing so well and is so happy. Thank you to all the women who work so hard every day, keeping our little ones safe, happy and learning through play!

Read on Google
Hannah Hazell
a year ago

Since our daughter started in September we have had an amazing experience, she really struggled with dropping off and picking up, and would often cry and get upset about being left. The team have all been absolutely amazing, they helped us find a drop off routine that worked and supported both our daughter and us as parents to make sure drop off was quick and she was welcomed into the room quickly and distracted. Despite not being happy at drop off and pick up time, we were assured by the team that she was happy and enjoying playing with her friends through additional messages and photos or her having a lovely time in her class room. Our daughter has developed so well with the support of the team at Archway, her speech and language has improved, her confidence has improved and she is so happy to get up and come to nursery now, she makes us run up the road to nursery in the morning now as she is so excited to come and join in the fun!

Read on Google
Lucy P
a year ago

This is a 5 star nursery. So many wonderful teachers/ carers - Suzanne, Becky, Chloe, Jenny, Summer, Hayley, Dani, Jo to name a few, the list goes on and everyone is great; my two girls were incredibly happy there. Thank you team Archway.

Read on Google
Katie Gondelle
3 years ago

We cannot recommend Archway Nursery enough to any parent considering where to place their child for daycare. The team of nursery staff and management are outstanding. Always greeted with a friendly, bubbly face at drop off and pick ups and each staff member dedicates themselves and proves to know your child inside out - their likes, dislikes, their personality etc which is shown also through how thoroughly they support your child’s individual developmental needs. The food is all freshly prepared on site and the children get to be involved with growing some of the food and making it and even have self serving stations for snack time. The grounds are lovely as is the inside of the nursery and our child’s “ grown ups” who take care of him feel like an extended family for him. It’s lovely to be able to not feel anxious or worried about your child when separated from them as you know each day they attend they are going to have a fun filled day in a brilliant, safe environment with truly caring, wonderful nursery staff. The nursery encourage good hygiene, manners and self care and we saw our child almost instantly bloom since starting, his confidence sky rocket and he can’t wait for his days at nursery and looks forward to them. What more could you ask for? We will forever be grateful for the amazing foundations this nursery has helped our little one build and cannot stress how much we recommend them.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Archway Nursery School. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Most recent inspection

12 March 2026

Needs attention

Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.

View full Ofsted report

Frequently asked about Archway Nursery School

About the setting

Archway Nursery School was registered with Ofsted on 09/09/2025 and is located at Hyde Farm, Pimperne, Blandford Forum. It is a childcare on non-domestic premises, registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person is Storal Nurseries Limited. The setting operates Monday to Friday from 07:45 to 18:00.

URN
2845785
Registered person
Storal Nurseries Limited
Day care type
Childcare on non-domestic premises
Register
EYR
Establishment type
Childcare on non-domestic premises

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more