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Talbot Woods Day Nursery and Nursery School

Ofsted: Expected standard·
4.2(6 parent reviews) ·Bournemouth University, Poole House, Poole, BH12 5BB · Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole
Number of places
91 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Feb 2026
Local authority
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

About this day nursery

Talbot Woods Day Nursery and Nursery School, operating since 2005 in Poole, caters to children aged 0-4 years. The nursery fosters a strong sense of security and belonging, with children forming extremely close bonds with staff who understand their individual needs and routines.

The dedicated team consistently monitors children's development, ensuring all care needs are met. The curriculum, based on the EYFS, is thoughtfully planned to support children's progress from their earliest years, encouraging independence and resilience.

Staff are adept at weaving in exciting, practical activities that foster both large and small-muscle development, from dough-disco to nature-based painting. They also ensure children receive nutritious food, and learn about healthy eating during social mealtimes.

The setting excels in its inclusive approach, with staff learning words in children's home languages to support their understanding of English and celebrating their individuality. For children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), leaders and staff collaborate closely with external professionals, monitor funding, and provide specific training, including support during mealtimes, ensuring all children are fully included and supported in their learning journey.

Parental engagement is highly valued, with staff working in partnership with families to support children's development and attendance. This commitment to nurturing and development ensures children are happy, settled, and well-prepared for their future learning and transition to school, despite the overall "Requires improvement" rating from the latest Ofsted inspection on February 3, 2026.

What it's like

Children are happy, settled and thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting. They form extremely close attachments with staff who help them feel safe and secure and support them emotionally as they transition through the nursery. Children make friends and develop very positive attitudes and social skills. Staff know children very well. They monitor development closely and meet all children's care needs and routines consistently.

Close staff bondsHolistic developmentInclusive practiceStrong parent partnershipsEngaging curriculum

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 08:00 - 18:00

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

2005

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected Feb 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, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Talbot Woods Day Nursery and Nursery School

Last inspected 3 February 2026

What it's like to attend

Children are happy, settled and thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting. They form extremely close attachments with staff who help them feel safe and secure and support them emotionally as they transition through the nursery. Children make friends and develop very positive attitudes and social skills. Staff know children very well. They monitor development closely and meet all children's care needs and routines consistently.

Inspector highlights

  • Children develop extremely close and trusting bonds with staff.
  • Staff nurture children's health and physical development extremely well.
  • Leaders and staff form highly effective working relationships with parents and carers.
  • Children gain the skills they need for their future learning and starting school.
  • Children develop positive attitudes and social skills.
  • Leaders have made significant improvements since the last inspection.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders should strengthen the organisation of group activities to further enhance children's engagement.
  • 2Leaders should ensure that teaching is consistently effective to deepen children's mathematical understanding.
Inspection #10391902 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders and staff work in close partnership with other professionals involved in the care of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and barriers to their learning. They monitor the use of additional funding to ensure this has a desired impact on their development. Staff are well-trained and continuously build on their knowledge and skills to meet the changing needs of children, including specific training to support children with SEND at mealtimes to ensure they are fully included and to meet their emotional and health needs.

EAL / language support

Staff learn and use words in children's home languages to reflect their individuality and support their understanding of English. They rigorously assess the progress children make to identify any further intervention or adaptations needed, including quickly seeking specialist guidance from external agencies.

Parent Reviews of Talbot Woods Day Nursery and Nursery School

4.2
(6)
Suba Manju
a year ago

My daughter attended when she was 1.5 years old; she lost her weight, became thin, and always came home hungry, like she didn't eat the whole day. She was not happy at all. The room leader and the care workers always have a fake smile, which is irritating. After starting nursery in a few days, when I try to change her nappy at home, she screams and doesn't allow me. Since she couldn't speak at that time, it was an unsolved mystery for me why she behaved like that. Maybe she was hurt by someone in the nursery, and she thought that would happen at home. I don't know; I have to assume this. But before starting nursery, she wasn't like that. I also saw one of the care workers mistreating a child when I dropped my daughter off one morning, and I raised a complaint through email. I changed her to another nursery in 2 months' time. I still couldn't forgive myself for choosing this terrible nursery for my daughter.

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Leanne Till
2 years ago

This nursery is a great place to send Your children. As soon as you walk in it is inviting and is clean and fresh. The layout of all the rooms are really spacious. My daughter has been enrolled since she was 7 months old and started in the baby room and made her way through all the rooms. Now in her final year before she starts school. The staff are all very friendly and go out their way to keep you in the loop with everything your child gets up too. My next child is due to start in January next year and have already enrolled them. I'm 100% confident they will get the same care as my other child does.

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Acer Motley
2 years ago

My daughter has attended here since she was 9 months old. Very happy with the care and learning she receives

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Roberta Howieson
7 years ago

Both my grandchildren attended and it was a wonderful place for childcare and learning. Highly recommend it.

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Reviews from Google for Talbot Woods Day Nursery and Nursery School. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: August 2011

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Requires improvement). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • April 2025Requires improvement
  • July 2021Good
  • August 2013Outstanding
  • August 2011Good

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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