Puffins at Manston Terrace

We have one child at Puffins and they couldn’t be happier. We really feel they have been welcomed there and enjoy the range of activities on offer. We have also been grateful for the possibility to do occasional day swaps due to unpredictable working patterns. Would recommend to any parent looking.

We have two children at Puffins and they couldn’t be happier. We really feel they have been welcomed there and enjoy the range of activities on offer. We have also been grateful for the possibility to do occasional day swaps due to unpredictable working patterns. Would recommend to any parent looking for a warm and caring environment for their child!

My little boy started Puffins at Manston Terrace in November 2022, after a bad experience with a different nursery I went to view both Manston Terrace and another nursery. I loved and got a good feel for both nurseries and had a hard decision choosing. My little boy instantly settled in and I believe this is due to the great settling sessions and process Puffins have in place, as well as the educators actually building and maintaining reciprocal relationships with the children. The educators have a genuine passion for the children and that is clear to see. We moved a bit further away and I won’t move my little boy as he loves Puffins. In the mornings he takes the educators by the hand and waves bye to me. He is so content at Puffins and that is reflective on the service and educators.

My two kids (2 and 1-year-olds) go to this nursery full time and absolutely love it! They are so happy, love the food (and eat plenty of it!), and they get on with the staff so well. Both kids love messy play and they get their fix at nursery painting, playing in the sand in the garden etc. While they have different rooms for different age groups, the kids can all interact in the garden and it's lovely to see my daughter grab her baby brother's hand to show him around. I love to see photos and updates in the app and see the kids so happy each day and making great friendships. You can tell the staff genuinely love working there and engaging with the kids and that sets the tone for the nursery. I can't recommend this nursery enough!

The staff at Puffins are truly fantastic - they are kind attentive and just amazing at caring for each and every child. They helped settle my 6-month-old daughter in so well. It’s always difficult leaving your child at any age but I never worry about the care she receives. The team are more than I could have hoped for as are all the other members of staff at nursery. I would highly recommend this nursery to others.

My son joined the nursery in the baby room a few months ago when I was doing my keeping-in-touch days ready to return to work. He was only 8 months when he first went and is now 11 months. He has settled so well and I am really happy with the nursery. The staff have been so welcoming and I feel certain that my son is looked after in a caring and nurturing environment. Every member of staff that I’ve come across at Puffins Manston Terrace has been friendly and lovely and they are very approachable if you have a query. I really would recommend Manston Terrace, I know it is the best place for my son. They always have lovely activities and the staff are so interactive with the children, playing with them and engaging them (which was certainly not the case at some of the other nurseries I visited!) I think it’s a lovely place. Well done to the staff and keep it up, it’s a tough job but you do it brilliantly.

I cannot recommend Puffins at Manston Terrace enough. The staff are always so lovely and friendly. They have taken care of my daughter very well. She has learnt so much since joining nursery and is developing into such a strong personality. The key workers are doing their best, working hard and always with a smile.

Well recommended. I looked around several nurseries in Exeter and this one stood out for its size (not too big or small), the flexibility, ability to have settling-in sessions at the child’s pace, app updates, caring staff and general positive vibe plus at home initial meet up. My toddler loves nursery and I feel he is learning so much from going as well as enjoying it so I look forward to sending him in more often. Thank you to all the Puffins team!

I am from Greece and my English is not very good. Fortunately, she is a teacher and speaks Greek, and everything was very easy for me. I am very pleased with how they are treating my child. He is very happy every time I drop him off and every time I pick him up.

He has learnt so much since joining nursery and is developing into such a clever, funny and kind boy and I think his key workers have a lot to do with this.

Our son loves going to nursery. They do loads of lovely activities including baking. He's outside in the garden every day. The team genuinely care about the kids and understand individual personalities. Our son has forged fantastic friendships and is always chatting about the staff there. And they have their own chef!

Our daughter loves this nursery and runs through the front door without looking back. She loves playing in the garden, especially in her tree. The staff give us updates at the end of the day and seem to know everything she's been up to. They post pictures and updates on an app throughout the day too. She loved the trip to the donkey sanctuary and the staff accommodate her vegetarian diet.

There is a different messy or creative activity every day. The garden area is brilliant with so many areas to explore and my son is given the independence to choose what he wants to do. They also have lots of reading and singing time and he has enjoyed learning his animals and colours. The app is really good and the staff take the time to update it throughout the day and to upload lots of pictures, which we really appreciate.

My son is very happy at this nursery and loves the staff. I feel he's really well looked after and I'm kept up to date with what he's been doing, how much he's eaten and how much he's slept. There is also a portal I can log into and see pictures and updates. The nursery always looks clean and tidy and the staff are very welcoming and friendly. No complaints.

We have been using Puffins Manston Terrace since 2017 for both our sons (one who has now left and the other who is now 2) and we have consistently been delighted by the care and attention given by the staff. They are extremely hard working and make sure the children feel valued. It's a very friendly environment and the children spend a lot of time outside in the beautiful garden. The staff go above and beyond and we couldn't recommend it more strongly!

Fantastic facility, great communication from the staff, flexibility with days of the week much appreciated. Our daughter settled in very quickly and has thrived there. The app has been a really useful resource to see the activities of the day and get important information around nap times etc. Thank you Puffins for a first class service.

My baby started at 7 months old and the staff in the baby room, and the managing team have been excellent from the day we looked around. They've been great at communicating with us, made us all feel comfortable and trusting and always have our daughter's needs front and centre. My daughter loves her time there - I don't think I ever see her not smiling when I drop her off, or pick her up! The staff have created an environment where she eats and drinks well, and gets the naps she needs.

I cannot thank Puffins for the care and love they gave to my child. My baby was three months old when she started settling sessions with them. Before I knew them, I was always crying about how can I give my baby to someone I don't know, but when she started with Puffins, especially her key worker, she was the only person I wanted my baby to be with, after myself. Also mention the nursery team and every other member of staff in that nursery who were very very professional, caring and kind. Unfortunately, I needed to move from Exeter due to my work. I wished my child could have the same carers always. I miss Puffins. Huge love and respect.

Manston Terrace provides a fantastic, nurturing environment for my son. She has had delayed speech which was picked up through assessments provided by the nursery. They have arranged extra support for him and we are already seeing a difference. The staff are amazing with the children, providing a safe, fun learning environment. We are very happy with all Manston Terrace provides.

We relocated to England from India during the ongoing pandemic. My 3.5-year-old son did not know to speak English and we were really anxious about how he would adjust. As a family, it was a tough time for us as we were in a new country with an ongoing pandemic. We started his nursery in August. Though we were really anxious, the manager and staff were really supportive. My son is happy there. He likes the food and he likes the activities. He is particularly happy with the outdoor activities and this was such an important thing for us with all the other issues going around. We are grateful to the staff for taking care of our little one so well. Because of the covid restrictions, parents cannot enter the nursery and we are seeing him off at the door, but from the way some of the staff members are giving us updates about our child every evening, we can feel their involvement with him. He talks very fondly of some of the staff to us.