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Arnold House Day Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Aug 2025)
·68 Mansfield Road, Daybrook, Nottingham, NG5 6HW · Nottinghamshire
Number of places
84 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Aug 2025
Local authority
Nottinghamshire

About this day nursery

Arnold House Day Nursery, established in 1984 as part of Bear Care Day Nurseries, offers a nurturing and educational environment for children in Nottingham. The nursery operates from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday, providing comprehensive care across two floors.

The facility features a dedicated baby unit with stimulating toys and spaces for quiet play, messy activities, and sleep. Toddlers also have their own tailored areas for both energetic and calm play.

A unique highlight is "Teddy’s Play Land," the largest multi-level soft play area within the Bear Care group, complete with slides, rope bridges, and a ball pit. Outdoors, a large playground with a soft surface and artificial grass allows for all-weather play, equipped with bikes, scooters, and various games.

Preschool and out-of-school club children are accommodated upstairs, with adaptable rooms for varied developmental stages, including a language and literacy room, all aligned with the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. The nursery provides daily meals, including breakfast, snacks, a two-course lunch, and a sandwich tea, with special dietary needs catered for.

Children also benefit from local community visits to places like libraries and fire stations, enriching their learning experiences.

What it's like

Children are happy, confident and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. They arrive eager to explore and settle quickly, supported by an effective key-person system that ensures secure attachments and emotional well-being. Staff know the children exceptionally well, understanding their interests, home lives and family circumstances, which allows them to provide targeted support that meets each child's individual needs.

Established since 1984Teddy’s Play Land soft play areaOutdoor all-weather playgroundVaried daily routine with meals

Pricing & funding

Fees are charged for half-day sessions, full days, or full weeks, with discounted weekly packages. Out-of-school care, holiday clubs, and funded hours top-up rates are also available. Full day and week care packages include all daily meals and snacks, while sessional care includes meals appropriate to the session.

Funding accepted

30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)

Good to know

  • 10% sibling discount for the younger child when two or more siblings attend at the same time.
  • Sibling discount applies to five half-day sessions or three or more full days per week.
  • Full day and full week care includes breakfast (for arrivals before 8.15am), snacks, lunch, and afternoon tea.
  • Sessional care includes meals appropriate to the session times, with lunch provided for all morning sessions.
  • Out-of-school care rates include pick-up and drop-off services.

Key facts

Opening hours

7:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday, 52 weeks per year (excluding bank holidays)

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

1999

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Arnold House Day Nursery

Last inspected 7 August 2025 · Tracy Hopkins

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are happy, confident and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. They arrive eager to explore and settle quickly, supported by an effective key-person system that ensures secure attachments and emotional well-being. Staff know the children exceptionally well, understanding their interests, home lives and family circumstances, which allows them to provide targeted support that meets each child's individual needs.

Inspector highlights

  • All children enjoy freshly prepared nutritious meals throughout the day, and mealtimes are a social occasion.
  • Leaders plan a curriculum that supports children's continued learning, and staff understand what children need to learn at each stage of their development.
  • Staff provide activities within the daily routine to help children develop their independence, such as pouring their own drinks and learning to operate zips and buttons.
  • Staff report high levels of support and well-being, with regular supervisions and opportunities for relevant training.
  • Staff are deployed effectively to ensure the safe supervision of children, and leaders have oversight of incidents, taking immediate action to strengthen practice and reduce potential risks.

Areas to develop

  • 1adapt staff practice so that children receive the same opportunities to experience new learning and gain new knowledge and skills
  • 2help children develop responsibility for their environment and care for shared resources.
Inspection #10375283 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents speak very positively about the care and support their children receive. They have confidence that staff understand and meet their children's individual needs.

Parents value the way the setting helps prepare their children for school, especially in promoting independence, confidence, social skills and language development.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff know the children exceptionally well, understanding their interests, home lives and family circumstances. This allows them to provide targeted support that meets each child's individual needs.

Outdoor space

Staff provide daily opportunities for children to build strength, coordination and control, indoors and outdoors. In the garden, children confidently balance along planks and tyres, carefully negotiating the uneven surfaces. This develops their core stability, balance and spatial awareness.

Inspection history
Improved from Requires improvement → Good in 2025

Date: April 2013

  • August 2025Good
  • September 2024Requires improvement
  • March 2019Good
  • October 2016Good
  • April 2013Good

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