Archway Nursery School

Hyde Farm, Salisbury Road, Pimperne, Blandford Forum DT11 8TX
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9.9 50 Reviews
  • Archway Nursery School, Blandford Forum
Archway Nursery School, located very near to Blandford Forum, provides safe and professional childcare, within an environment where children can feel inspired to pick up new skills and interests.

The nursery has an excellent standing in the community and has been established for over 20 years. The nursery provides high-quality care and education for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.

Its mission is to deliver the highest standards of childcare and early years education, while always striving for continuous improvement. Staff believe a child’s early years are the most critical for developing the foundations of learning, behaviour and emotional well being, which all influence later outcomes in school, work and society.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Hannah Miles (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 22

Total Places for Children

  • 77

Age Range

  • from 0 years 2 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Full day (7:45am to 6:00pm) from £71

  • Fees are all inclusive. This means nappies, formula milk, meals and snacks are all included in the fee

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:45-18:00
    Tuesday 07:45-18:00
    Wednesday 07:45-18:00
    Thursday 07:45-18:00
    Friday 07:45-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Archway Nursery School Reviews (50)

9.9

Archway Nursery School has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.891) out of 10, based on 15 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Archway Nursery School has 50 reviews.

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Review from M S (Father of Child) published on 24 January 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been at Archway for a month and he has enjoyed it immensely. The staff are brilliant with him and are great with updating us with how his day is getting on. The facilities there are brilliant, especially the outside space, which is one of the reasons why we chose Archway.
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Review from L C (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A wonderful caring and nurturing nursery. They really look after your child like one of their own. They do lots of fun things to keep them well engaged. They get to know your child's personality too which makes all the difference.
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Review from G M (Mother of Child) published on 25 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Archway nursery is fantastic, staff are so friendly and helpful and you can always talk to them, and are happy to help. My son loves it there and has never come home unhappy, always enjoys his day. Brilliant nursery.
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Review from K J (Mother of Child) published on 24 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The excellent service started right from the beginning when I first made an enquiry about my child attending Archway Nursery & Preschool. It is warm, welcoming and reassuring for children and parents each and every time! Once I had looked around I just knew it was where I wanted my child. Beautiful
large outdoor areas for playing and clean friendly rooms indoors with a variety of activities. I could not recommend them enough! Love the place.
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Review from Emily D (Mother of Child) published on 23 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has newly started Archways, although he is still settling in and adjusting to his new routine the staff have been fantastic in assisting him with his transition to nursery. Their observation updates through their app have been hugely reassuring to know that after an initial emotional goodbye
he has swiftly settled as he steps through the door. My husband and I love reading about what he has been up to throughout the day and learning more about what he has enjoyed most that day.
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Review from J P (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Archway is an amazing nursery and pre-school! Both of my boys have attended the setting and been happy throughout. They have developed extremely well and thrived with the care that they receive. The staff are excellent and have always got the children first. The rooms are bright and clean, with many
wooden toys and natural materials. The outdoor play areas are brilliant, with Forest School now being taught, which is wonderful for my 2 energetic boys. The chef is an amazing cook and my son still compares my cooking to hers (she always wins!). The new system of direct debit payment and also online invoices is good. We have not had any recent issues. I highly recommend this setting and will be quite sad when my youngest leaves in August. Thank you for looking after my boys, Archway!
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Review from Rosie S (Mother of Child) published on 31 January 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been here for two years now and she really enjoys it. Staff are friendly and approachable and have created a great bond with my daughter. She feels safe and happy when she’s here and looks forward to attending. Communication with staff is great and safeguarding is a top priority. Our
daughter has come on leaps and bounds since being at Archway and we will definitely be sad when it’s time for her to leave!
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Review from Katie C (Mother of Child) published on 31 January 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Archways Nursery & Pre-School since he was 6 months old. He absolutely adores it there, and I couldn't have picked a better nursery. After visiting a few other nurseries in the area, this was by far the best. The staff are absolutely incredible and have been fantastic in catering
for his medical needs. He jumps out of my arms in the morning and doesn't want to come home on an evening. The staff are so friendly and caring, and I genuinely can't thank them enough for all that they do. They work so closely with the parents and children for all aspects of development, sleep needs, eating, and drinking. He also gets to explore the outdoors and goes on walks around the village. He really has come on leaps and bounds since attending, and I highly recommend this nursery.
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Review from Darren C (Stepfather of Child) published on 4 January 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my stepchildren have attended Archway Nursery, I can not fault the nursery. The staff are friendly and put my wife's mind at ease especially when it was my child's first day when she was feeling very anxious and nervous. I am very impressed with the home-cooked food which is cooked daily and love
the menu board which is updated daily outside ready for when I collect my child. It is a shame that we are unable to go into the building but my child always seems happy when collected and fills me in on their day. I also love the weekly updates on the Facebook page which informs me of the activities which go on within the nursery, I also enjoy reading the monthly newsletters which we also receive. I would highly recommend Archway Nursery to my family and friends.
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Review from Abi D (Mother of Child) published on 25 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has been at Archway since he was 9 months old and will be leaving shortly for school. He has really enjoyed his time there which makes such a huge difference to me as it makes me feel much better about leaving him there. There is always a really good menu on offer so he gets to try lots
of different things and the activities they do are fantastic. He loves sharing his artwork or telling about experiments they have done. The staff are lovely and really good with him, and the rest of the children. The office staff are always really helpful and if ever there are questions on funding or anything else, they are really quick to respond and support. All-round great nursery for both parents and children.
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Review from Sharon M (Mother of Child) published on 18 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Archway Nursery & Preschool is a fantastic nursery. My little girl has been attending since February 2021 at the age of ten months old. They have settled my little girl in well. The daily diary and pictures are amazing via the app they use to keep me updated while I’m working and it’s lovely to see
her having so much fun. I have every confidence in them. All the staff are friendly and the management team are extremely helpful. I couldn’t ask for a better nursery for her to attend and to help her flourish and grow.
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Review from Natalie S (Mother of Child) published on 17 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been going to Archway for nearly a year now and has been in two classes since she started. She has enjoyed being in both classes and the staff have been great, supportive and caring. This made the transition between the rooms so much easier.
We know that every day she's having fun
doing varied activities and learning lots. The environment is helping her thrive, especially in communication. The food is excellent and varied with lots of new food.
The staff have been excellent in supporting her with her eye problems which has helped with rapid progress in her eye.
The app is a great way to see updates from the nursery. Would definitely recommend the nursery to other prospective parents.
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Review from Amy C (Mother of Child) published on 17 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I love Archway! My little boy has been attending the nursery since he was 8 months old, he’s in the preschool room now and starting school in September. We’re going to be sad to leave. Archway gave me the confidence to leave him and know he was being so well cared for, every day I picked him up with
a smile and now he chats away telling me all about his day and the fun activities he’s done with his friends. Every room he went into was fantastic, we have both built bonds with the staff who are always so welcoming and kind. Nothing is ever too much to ask from the team at Archway.
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Review from Linzi W (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We were new to the nursery and supposed to settle the week that lockdown happened. Instead, the manager and the team kept in touch throughout the whole of lockdown, and we settled the children in during the 3rd week of July. The staff have been brilliant in terms of understanding the children through
phone calls before them starting, communicating through the log and chatting at the door before the children go in and prior to going home. I have felt comfortable to be able to call up and ask how the children are getting on, and the children have been settled and happy. Overall, a great 'new nursery' experience for us.
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Review from N D (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery and friendly staff. Staff will comfort my daughter when needed, as she is a little shy, but has developed a bond with a couple of staff.
Staff will keep us updated on progress. We really enjoy seeing our daughters pictures and other things she makes at nursery.
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Review from Amy G (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has been going to Archway full time since October 2018 and he loves it. The staff are very friendly and easy to talk to. The meals are fantastic as my little boys eats better there than he does at home. He has a productive day every day. The management staff are also very helpful and
friendly.
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Review from L G R (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A fantastic nursery that has supported both of my children from 1 year of age.
Not only do my children love going here (a big relief as a working family) the staff are also excellent with supporting us as a family and they make us very much feel part of their family.
They have also been incredible
considering everything currently going on with COVID-19.
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Review from Beth W (Mother of Child) published on 28 September 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children have attended Archway Nursery since they were one and 9 months respectively. Throughout this time, I have been made to feel welcome and able to contact the nursery at any time with any queries or concerns I may have, the management and staff are approachable, professional, caring and
knowledgeable and have always been friendly and visible and are happy to talk to you at any time. Both my children love attending Archway Nursery and have moved through all the classes with my daughter. I could not fault the care and attention they provide for the children. Each and every class provides a suitable learning experience for the children to grow and shine and the staff are all skilled with working with a huge range of different ages and abilities. I have recommended Archway to many friends who also feel the same and I could not have hoped for a better nursery to look after my children. Thank you to the whole team you are all superstars, Archway is a fantastic nursery.
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Review from Victoria A (Mother of Child) published on 17 September 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery with caring and friendly staff. Our little girl attends this nursery full time (50 hours a week) and she loves every minute. She started at 6 months old and is now 1. She has developed so much and a lot of that is down to the nursery staff.
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Review from Sybille M (Mother of Child) published on 17 September 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Brilliant nursery with excellent, friendly and welcoming staff who always go out their way. My older son used to go there and now my daughter and they both love it. Safe and stimulating environment.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.891)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.891) out of 10 for Archway Nursery School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 15 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 15 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.917 for Archway Nursery School is calculated as follows: ( (165 Excellents x 5) + (15 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 180 Ratings = 4.917
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 4.974 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Archway Nursery School is based on 15 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 77 number of registered child places is 15.4. 15 Positive Reviews ÷ 15.4 = 0.974
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (4)

Meet the Team (1)

Hannah

Hannah Miles

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2024

A warm welcome to Archway Nursery School in Blandford Forum.
With our beautiful farmhouse setting in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Archway is a nursery rooted in the countryside and all that it has to offer. Children benefit every day from our special location, particularly through our large outdoor area which encourages creativity, exploratory play and independent discoveries.


Archway is very much part of the local community, having provided quality nursery education to local children for the past twenty years. Our experienced and highly trained staff know that all children are different and take time to listen, observe them and respond to them individually. Children love learning at Archway, becoming curious and independent thinkers at their own pace and in their own time.


We’d love you and your family to experience the magic of Archway, so come and say hello and see for yourself our special blend of individualised learning and purposeful play.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Archway Nursery School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Archway Nursery School has an Enhanced Service - more info.