Opening hours
8am until 6pm, weekdays, 50 weeks of the year (closed bank holidays and 2 weeks over Christmas)
Cowdown Day Nursery
Ofsted: Good
(Mar 2024)
Number of places
41 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2024
Local authority
Hampshire
About this day nursery
Cowdown Day Nursery has been a pillar of childcare and education in Andover and its surrounding villages since 1996. This family-operated establishment is nestled within a converted farmhouse and an attached bungalow, spanning ten acres of picturesque English countryside.
The nursery offers children a spacious and natural environment to learn and grow, fostering an appreciation for nature and wildlife. A unique feature is their private access to a forest, providing opportunities for adventurous 'puddle hunting' journeys.
Cowdown Day Nursery provides full-day care for children ranging from 4 months to 5 years old, operating weekdays from 8 am to 6 pm, fifty weeks a year, with closures for bank holidays and a two-week Christmas break. The nursery's core philosophy is dedicated to nurturing the 'self' in each child, aiming to develop self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.
They focus on promoting communication and interaction skills, facilitating the development of personal and social abilities, and teaching children how to build friendships. The environment also encourages creativity, imagination, and both physical and mental learning, all within a healthy setting designed to support each child's unique and holistic development.
Viewings are arranged by appointment to ensure regulatory, privacy, and safety standards are met.
Our ethos
Cowdown Day Nursery is dedicated to nurturing the 'self' in each child, aiming to develop self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth. They focus on promoting communication and interaction skills, social abilities, and creativity, imagination, and both physical and mental learning, all within a healthy setting designed to support each child's unique and holistic development. They also offer opportunities for adventurous outdoor learning through access to a forest.
What it's like
There is a real sense of family at this nursery. The ethos for children to develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence is seen across the setting, as children enter the nursery happily and settle quickly. Children benefit from time with their younger and older peers as all the children come together each day to play, which boosts their confidence and helps staff to know each child well.
Family-runForest School accessRural location
Pricing & funding
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Request pricing →Key facts
Age range
4 months to 5 years
Term time / All Year
All Year
Established
1996
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Cowdown Day Nursery
Last inspected 12 March 2024 · Nicky Hill
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
There is a real sense of family at this nursery. The ethos for children to develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence is seen across the setting, as children enter the nursery happily and settle quickly. Children benefit from time with their younger and older peers as all the children come together each day to play, which boosts their confidence and helps staff to know each child well.
Inspector highlights
- Children enter the nursery happily and settle quickly.
- Staff support children's language and communication well.
- Children are motivated to learn and demonstrate good levels of engagement and concentration.
- The management team has a good oversight of the provision and a good partnership with parents and staff.
- Staff promote children's independence and encourage them to make choices.
Areas to develop
- 1enhance the support in place for children who are learning English as an additional language so that practice is consistent across the nursery in developing children's communication and language skills
- 2focus more sharply on the provision for outdoor play, to increase opportunities for children to have daily fresh air and physical exercise.
Inspection #10311779 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents comment on the nurturing and welcoming staff and the family feel of the nursery.
They feel well informed and appreciate that staff take the time to teach children to find the joy in things and to enjoy being young.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
Outdoor space
Staff do not plan well enough for outdoor play. Opportunities for children to benefit from fresh air and take part in physical exercise outdoors are not consistent, and staff do not always recognise when children need to let off steam.
EAL / language support
Although staff accurately identify children's next steps in learning, their support for children who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) is not consistent. Some staff have developed good ways to aid children's communication and language skills, such as by using simple sign language and working closely with parents to understand children's skills in their home language, and by teaching other children words such as 'hello' and 'goodbye' in children's home languages. However, these strategies have not been shared across all the rooms to ensure a common approach to how staff support children who are learning EAL to make the best progress.
Parent Reviews of Cowdown Day Nursery
5.0
(1)
Vicki Streeter
9 years ago
Reviews from Google for Cowdown Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: October 2009
- March 2024Good
- April 2018Good
- November 2015Good
- February 2015Good
- April 2014Requires improvement
- October 2009Good
Frequently asked about Cowdown Day Nursery
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