Opening hours
Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm.
Clarence House Papworth
Ofsted: Good
(Apr 2025)
Number of places
77 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Apr 2025
Local authority
Cambridgeshire
About this day nursery
30 pm. Rated 'Good' by Ofsted following its latest inspection on 8th April 2025, the nursery prides itself on its approach to settling children, with staff sharing information with parents and fostering close relationships between children and their key persons.
The nursery is proactive in assessing children's development to identify if further support is required, planning and implementing engaging activities that promote progress. Children with English as an additional language are well-supported, showing good progress in their language skills.
The curriculum includes a strong focus on physical development, with opportunities for climbing and balancing outdoors. Fine motor skills are also developed through activities such as squeezing play dough and cutting spaghetti.
Outdoor learning is a significant part of the children's experience; they enjoy picnics, climb on equipment, balance on stepping stones, and explore the forest area, finding and counting ladybirds. Children are encouraged to develop independence, with toddlers removing their own shoes before naptime and pre-schoolers serving their own dinners.
Leaders at Clarence House Papworth have made continuous improvements, including regular supervision and training for staff, and have plans to further develop the outdoor area to enhance learning opportunities.
What it's like
Staff adapt their approach to support individual children to settle into the nursery, sharing information with parents to ease the process. They get to know children well, fostering close relationships with key persons and assessing development to identify if further support is required. Staff plan and implement engaging activities that help children make progress, understanding how these activities support learning and development.
Good Ofsted ratingStrong settling-in processFocus on physical developmentOutdoor learning opportunitiesSupports EAL childrenDevelops fine motor skills
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)
Key facts
Term time / All Year
All Year
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Clarence House Papworth
Last inspected 8 April 2025
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
Staff adapt their approach to support individual children to settle into the nursery, sharing information with parents to ease the process. They get to know children well, fostering close relationships with key persons and assessing development to identify if further support is required. Staff plan and implement engaging activities that help children make progress, understanding how these activities support learning and development.
Inspector highlights
- Children develop their physical skills as they climb on equipment and balance on stepping stones outside.
- Staff across the nursery focus on supporting children's fine motor skills, with activities like squeezing play dough, cutting spaghetti, and mixing 'potions'.
- Staff support children's developing communication skills by speaking clearly, using gestures, and providing time to listen and understand.
- Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress in their language skills.
- Leaders have worked hard to improve practice in the nursery, carrying out regular supervision meetings and providing training opportunities for staff.
Areas to develop
- 1guide staff to consider the learning opportunities offered to children so that these sufficiently challenge and develop their knowledge and skills.
Inspection #10361310 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents are happy with the care the nursery provides.
They appreciate the individual approach to settling children into the nursery as well as the relationships their children develop with staff.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Staff assess children's development to find out whether they require further support. They plan and implement engaging activities that help children make progress.
Outdoor space
Children enjoy having picnics outside in the afternoon. Children develop their physical skills as they climb on equipment and balance on stepping stones outside. They also spend time in the forest area, finding and counting ladybirds.
Parent Reviews of Clarence House Papworth
4.6
(9)
Laura Ashby
6 months ago
My daughter has been here since she was 9 months old and now is nearly 4 and will be heading to school in September. She's always happy at the end of the day and full of stories of the fun she's had. The staff know the children well and are always welcoming and knowledgeable about what they've been up to. They also show great interest in the children's lives outside of nursery sharing their excitement. Finally each day I get a run down of what she's eaten and I wish I'd been there to join in it always sounds delicious.
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AMR RADAIDEH (radaidenho)
5 months ago
Really happy with Clarence house nursery. The staff are kind and caring, and my daughter always comes home smiling. She’s learning a lot and clearly enjoys her time there. Highly recommend!
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Dr Jimmy Muchechetere CFA
2 months ago
"We couldn't be happier with Clarence House Papworth! Our 2-year-old daughter absolutely loves it—she actually fights to go every single day now instead of her usual three. It is such a relief to know she is having fun, learning new skills, and is so well-cared for. She speaks so fondly of her teachers, Saffron and Leane, and she is obsessed with the food Lorraine prepares! What really impresses us is how involved the entire team is; she knows Danielle (the manager), Rhiannon, Mia, and Katlin all by name, which shows just how much they engage with every child, regardless of their group. We can't recommend this nursery enough!"
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Gary Leyshon
a year ago
My son has attended this nursery for 18months now and without a shadow of a doubt it was the best decision we made. Sharon and the entire team have been amazing, they provide an exceptional environment to develop the children in their care and my son like other children I see daily are developing wonderfully and more importantly they are all happy. There has been some staff turnover in recent months but replacements have been found and they are being trained up, but we have seen no difference in care. I highly recommended this nursery - check it out, even if you don’t live in Papworth, it’s worth the journey for your child’s happiness/development
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Carinda Vout
a year ago
My son started Clarence House recently at 6 month old. He quickly settled in and the staff have been great with him! So happy with his progress so far and lovely seeing what he’s been up to throughout the day! Highly recommended 🙂
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Clarence House Papworth. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Improved from Requires improvement → Good in 2025
Date: January 2022
- April 2025Good
- July 2024Requires improvement
- January 2022Good
Frequently asked about Clarence House Papworth
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