Nursery Advice
Claim Your Nursery

Heather's Day Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Jan 2023)
·
4.0(4 parent reviews) ·James Backhouse Place, Holgate, York, YO24 4NS · York
Number of places
36 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2023
Local authority
York

About this day nursery

Heather's Day Nursery, located in York, operates from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, all year round, closing only for one week over Christmas and on bank holidays. Established in 1995, this welcoming nursery provides childcare for children aged 0-4 years.

The latest Ofsted inspection, rated 'Good' on 26 January 2023, highlights the effective settling-in procedures, where staff ensure children feel secure and quickly integrate into the daily routine with warm greetings. Staff are attentive to children's behaviour, using patient guidance to help them understand and reason.

The curriculum balances free-play with adult-guided activities, allowing children to make choices while also receiving structured learning experiences. The nursery places a strong emphasis on developing children's communication and language skills through narration, repetition of key words, songs, and stories.

Mathematical language is also skilfully woven into play, helping children to count and understand positional concepts. Children's personal development is fostered as they learn self-care skills, such as taking off shoes, wiping noses, and serving their own food, preparing them for school.

Parents frequently praise the nursery for its strong partnership, valuing the regular sharing of information about their children's learning and progress. Children over two years old benefit from good outdoor opportunities, where they build dens and sing rhymes, though improvements are needed for the under-two's garden area.

The nursery also focuses on good nutrition, catering to dietary needs, and teaches children about oral health.

What it's like

Good settling-in procedures mean that staff get to know the children well and children enjoy spending time at this welcoming nursery. Staff greet them with warm smiles and reassurance as they arrive, and children quickly settle into the daily routine. There is a lovely atmosphere.

Good settling-inStrong parent partnershipCommunication and language focusMathematical languageSelf-care skillsGood outdoor play

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm all year round, except for one week at Christmas and for bank holidays

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Heather's Day Nursery

Last inspected 26 January 2023 · Lynne Pope

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

Good settling-in procedures mean that staff get to know the children well and children enjoy spending time at this welcoming nursery. Staff greet them with warm smiles and reassurance as they arrive, and children quickly settle into the daily routine. There is a lovely atmosphere.

Inspector highlights

  • Good settling-in procedures mean that staff get to know the children well and children enjoy spending time at this welcoming nursery.
  • Staff understand how to teach children and know what they want them to learn next, providing a good balance of free-play and adult-guided activities.
  • Support for children's communication and language is good, with staff narrating actions, repeating key words, and using songs and stories to develop vocabulary.
  • Staff skilfully weave mathematical language into all areas of play and learning, helping children to count with confidence and introduce positional language.
  • Children develop confidence and become self-sufficient in caring for themselves, learning to take off shoes, wipe noses, and serve their own food.

Areas to develop

  • 1extend what is available in the outdoor area for children under the age of two years to make it a stimulating environment for them to play and learn in
  • 2consider how to involve parents in children's oral health and help to signpost them to local dentists.
Inspection #10275679 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

parents say that they value the sharing of information about their children's learning and that they can feed back what their children do at home

They are happy with the progress that their children make

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

Outdoor space

Staff provide children aged over two years with a good range of opportunities to explore the outdoor area. Children use their imaginations to build a den and enjoy sitting underneath while they sing familiar rhymes with staff. However, the garden area for children aged under two years is not used as effectively to stimulate children's play and learning.

Parent Reviews of Heather's Day Nursery

4.0
(4)
R Groves
4 months ago

This nursery is wonderful and both my children go there. The staff are lovely and the facilities are great. In response to another review.. The building has had recent refurbishment after a lot of saving up as this costs a lot, and the grounds now have a regular team of gardeners for maintenance. Would recommend this nursery x

Read on Google
Stephen Hebbron
a year ago

I’m certain this Nursery is good at what it does and it’s staff are caring and kind to the children. What concerns me is the external look of the place, tatty old windows that look rotten, terrible paintwork, overgrown, unkempt gardens. The car park is little more than a landfill site, rubbish everywhere including a rotting rabbit hutch with a resident ferrel cat a broken desk and a large lidded biffa bin that absolutely stinks and is so close to the children’s outdoor play area it has to be a risk to them in health terms. Feels like management being greedy, cutting costs to increase profits and to hell with the kids. I don’t blame the childcare staff for this disgraceful state of affairs but greedy owners and management structures!

Read on Google
Alex S
5 years ago

Very happy with this nursery. The staff are caring and professional. Our child has food allergies which they take great care in accomodating. I particularly like how much time they spend outside, and the setting next to the park is perfect, but the staff are what makes it special.

Read on Google
Sophie Ann Nelis
a year ago

My daughter attends this nursery and she has come on so well we are potty trained as nursery helped us along our journey the staff are so welcoming and friendly

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Heather's Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: February 2010

  • January 2023Good
  • April 2014Good
  • February 2010Good

Frequently asked about Heather's Day Nursery

Nearby day nurseries in York

Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Heather's Day Nursery.

Are you the owner of this nursery? Claim this listing to manage photos, hours and contact details.

Claim listing

Share this nursery

Send to a partner, friend or family member.

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