Opening hours
Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm.
Happy Orkids at Dartford
Ofsted: Good
(Mar 2023)
Number of places
68 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2023
Local authority
Kent
About this day nursery
Ymca Thames Gateway Temple Hill Nursery, which received a 'Good' rating from Ofsted at its last inspection on 31 March 2023, offers a welcoming environment for children aged 1 to 4 years. 30am until 6pm, the day nursery focuses on creating a nurturing space where children happily engage in a wide range of activities.
Staff build secure attachments with babies, ensuring a caring and supportive atmosphere. The curriculum is designed around children's interests, with staff planning engaging and stimulating experiences that foster a love for books and language development through singing, rhyming, and storytelling.
Children have valuable opportunities for outdoor learning and exploring their wider community, including visits to local shops, trips to the park, and bus rides. This helps them gain real-life experiences and understand their surroundings.
The day nursery also places importance on positive behaviour modelling, with children flourishing within their friendship groups, supporting each other, and sharing play experiences. Parents frequently comment on how happy and settled their children are and appreciate the regular feedback they receive about their child's daily activities and progress.
The newly appointed manager is dedicated to developing a clear vision for the nursery, building on the team's strengths, and continually improving outcomes for all children.
What it's like
Children happily arrive at the welcoming nursery. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests to plan engaging and stimulating activities, fostering a love for books and language development. Staff positively model expected behaviours, and children flourish within their friendship groups, supporting each other and sharing play experiences.
Child-led learningCommunity explorationLove of readingStrong staff-child bondsDedicated management
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds
Key facts
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Happy Orkids at Dartford
Last inspected 31 March 2023 · Abigail Towell
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
Children happily arrive at the welcoming nursery. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests to plan engaging and stimulating activities, fostering a love for books and language development. Staff positively model expected behaviours, and children flourish within their friendship groups, supporting each other and sharing play experiences.
Inspector highlights
- Children's interests are a focus for their learning and development, with staff planning experiences that build on their learning.
- Children have opportunities to explore their wider community by visiting local shops, parks, and going on a bus.
- Children enjoy a wide range of books, and staff foster a love of reading from an early age.
- Staff understand their roles and responsibilities and know their key children well, respecting diverse backgrounds.
- The newly appointed manager is passionate about developing a clear vision for the nursery and builds on the strengths of her team.
Areas to develop
- 1strengthen staff's knowledge of how to help children to further develop their independence skills in everyday tasks and activities
- 2support all staff to develop a full understanding of children's backgrounds and home languages, to ensure that children who speak English as additional language benefit from a consistent approach.
Inspection #10280533 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents comment on how happy and settled their children are in the nursery.
They welcome the feedback that they receive about their child's daily activities.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
Outdoor space
Children have opportunities to explore their wider community. They visit local shops, take trips to the park, and go on a bus. This provides them with valuable real-life experiences.
Google Reviews of Happy Orkids at Dartford
4.0
(4 Google reviews)
Sudam Asghar
6 months ago
I would never recommend this nursery to anyone. My 3-year-old child has told me several times (and I have videos as evidence) that a teacher hit him at YMCA Temple Hill Nursery. At first, I tried to ignore it, thinking maybe it was a misunderstanding — but I noticed clear changes in my child’s behaviour afterwards, and he became anxious and upset about attending. I raised this concern directly with the nursery and even showed them the video, but it seems that no one took the matter seriously or investigated it properly. I have now made a formal complaint to Ofsted and Social Services, as this situation is extremely concerning. If you care about your child’s wellbeing and emotional safety, I would strongly advise against sending them here. It’s been a very upsetting experience
Read on Google
Jack
a year ago
My wife and I couldn’t recommend the YMCA nursery more, our daughter came home smiling every day. The staff are warm and caring, creating an environment where our daughter thrived. Watching her grow and develop during her time there has been truly heartwarming and reassured us that she was in great hands.
Read on Google
Jane Thomas
4 years ago
Brunilda Krasniqi
a year ago
Reviews from Google for Happy Orkids at Dartford. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Ofsted records show this provider has closed and was never graded. There's no inspection history to display.
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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