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Little Explorers Day Nursery in Exeter

Ofsted: Expected standard·Treetops, Three Horse Shoes, Exeter, EX5 5EU · Devon
Number of places
30 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2026
Local authority
Devon

About this day nursery

Little Explorers Day Nursery, located in Cowley, Exeter, is a highly-rated childcare setting established in 2018. It caters to children aged 0-4 and operates all year round, from 7:45 am to 6 pm on weekdays.

The nursery prides itself on fostering a nurturing and stimulating environment where children develop good social skills and independence. Staff are dedicated to providing consistent boundaries and resources, helping children understand and articulate their feelings, thus promoting a strong sense of security.

The nursery places a significant emphasis on personal development, celebrating children's achievements, and using positive reinforcement to build confidence and self-esteem. They also work closely with other professionals and implement targeted plans to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), ensuring every child receives the necessary support to thrive.

While children enjoy outdoor play, the nursery is actively working to provide more opportunities for outside access to further enhance their development.

What it's like

Children enjoy their time at the setting, developing good social skills and independence with activities that interest them. Staff provide consistent boundaries and resources to help children understand and talk about their feelings, fostering a sense of safety and security. The setting strongly promotes personal development, celebrating achievements and using consistent praise to build confidence and self-esteem.

Love of booksTailored learningEffective parent partnershipsGood communication skillsGood care practices

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)
Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

Key facts

Opening hours

7.45am to 6pm each weekday

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

2018

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected Mar 2026

Headline: Expected standard

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 routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Little Explorers Day Nursery

Last inspected 12 March 2026

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Children enjoy their time at the setting, developing good social skills and independence with activities that interest them. Staff provide consistent boundaries and resources to help children understand and talk about their feelings, fostering a sense of safety and security. The setting strongly promotes personal development, celebrating achievements and using consistent praise to build confidence and self-esteem.

Inspector highlights

  • Children develop a love of books from an early age, listening to stories and learning facts about different occupations.
  • Staff know children well and tailor learning experiences to help them build on current skills, from forming close attachments in babies to promoting independence in older children.
  • Partnerships with parents are effective, with staff showing "compassion, love and care" and sending activities home for families to complete.
  • All children have good communication and language skills, experimenting with noises, engaging in imaginative role play, and discussing experiences.
  • Care practices are good, with regular cleaning and hygiene support to minimise cross-infection and ensure children's well-being.
  • Staff plan activities that benefit children's needs, such as using dolls to teach caring behaviours.

Areas to develop

  • 1Provide more opportunities for children to access the outside area, to help develop their skills in all areas
  • 2Develop further staff's use of questioning to help younger and older children extend their vocabulary.
Inspection #10191386 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

The managers and staff work closely with other professionals. They put targeted plans in place to ensure children receive the necessary support they need to help them make good progress.

Outdoor space

Children enjoy the freedom of being outdoors. However, due to the setting's rigid timetable, children are not always able to go out as often as they would like. Children who learn best outside do not consistently develop all the skills they need to help them move even further forward in their development. The nursery is working to provide more opportunities for outdoor access.

Frequently asked about Little Explorers Day Nursery

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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