Arnhall Nursery

Gardens Cottages, Keir Estate, Dunblane FK15 9NU
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Top 20 award
10 151 Reviews
  • Arnhall Nursery, Dunblane
Arnhall Nursery is run from a large stone built property with unique features such as a turret. The main building set over 2 floors caters for babies up to 3 years old. They have a separate building in the garden which caters for their 2.5 to 5-year-olds. They also have their own outside class room and log cabin. The nursery has a large and completely enclosed garden and its very own forest schools on its doorstep.

Arnhall Nursery is a private day nursery that delivers high-quality childcare which is created by working with parents to understand the individual needs of each child.

The nursery is set in beautiful surroundings on the Keir Estate, ideally located just off the M9, it has a safe and secure garden where children can play and learn about the outside world.

Children are encouraged to learn through play and nursery staff use fun and engaging activities to boost the children’s confidence.

The children take regular walks on the country estate, forest school sessions and extra-curriculum activities such as Jo Jingles and Enjoy A Ball are on offer.

All meals are included and the nursery offers healthy and nutritional breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, home-cooked by an in-house chef.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Norma McFarlane (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 36

Total Places for Children

  • 107

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Please contact us for a copy of our current fees or for any information on funding.

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30

When Closed

  • Christmas

Arnhall Nursery Reviews (151)

10

Arnhall Nursery has a Review Score of 10 (9.972) out of 10, based on 44 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Arnhall Nursery has 151 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 150
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Date Published
  • 151
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  • 44
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Reviewer Connection to Arnhall Nursery
  • 121
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Total of 151, showing 21-40
Review from Sheena K (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I'm so glad I found Arnhall Nursery. My twin daughters had previously been at another nursery and I needed full-time spaces (which isn't always easy for twins). From the moment I called I felt welcomed. The room manager called me to introduce herself and I was shown around the nursery. My first thought
was, Wow. Beautiful forest school grounds and lovely learning environments.
One of my main things was a nursery with good communication. We've been at Arnhall now since November 2023 and I've always felt heard and the communication is excellent. Would never go anywhere else now.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from J C (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great little nursery. My children are very happy there. The staff are all really friendly and helpful. The children have lots of outside time, walking and playing in the forest. My children always come back having had a great time, they love all the games and songs and learn lots too!
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from P M (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I could not recommend Arnhall Day Nursery enough! The passion the staff have is second to none. I have met multiple members of staff who work within my child's room that is able to tell me exactly how he has got on that day and how he is settling in as a whole.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Sandra T (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son goes to Arnhall and he really loves it. The stuff is great and we feel that we are part of a big family. They spend a big part of their time outdoors but with the right clothes. My daughter will be there soon.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Andy M (Father of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter loves going to nursery. The staff are nurturing, fun and committed and always look to provide the best care possible for all the children. They provide a wide variety of activities and always try to make use of the excellent outdoor space. Great nursery.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Dani H (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Always recommend Arnhall to friends looking for childcare. All Staff provide brilliant teaching skills, every member of staff will approach my children with a full smile, knowing their name and knowing how to interact with them. Daily updates from staff let me know what my children are learning/progressing
throughout the week. Outdoor space is constantly developing and providing new challenges for the children. The varied diet is also highly important for my children and tasting and eating new foods every week. Each week is a new adventure at Arnhall.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from M N (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Arnhall Nursery is an amazing place and I feel I watch my child grow, learn and develop. He is so well supported as an individual and is hitting his milestones.
The team at Arnhall keep us in the loop and we feel so connected to them.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Neil C (Father of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery, filled with positive experiences for our daughter. The team at the nursery take great care to ensure the kids have a fun and educational experience each day. Couple this with fantastic food and a brilliant outdoor setting, needless to say, our daughter is very happy.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Laura L (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery, both of my children are/have attended here and we couldn't ask for much more. Staff go the extra mile to make sure the children are happy, settled and learning in preparation for school. So friendly, open and helpful.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Cleide B (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Arnhall Nursery since he was six months old. It definitely helped his development and positive attitude. The staff are amazing; they helped him smoothly transition to a new room, ensuring he was happy and welcomed.
My son loves the outside area and the daily forest walks.
Highly
recommend!
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Fern F (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery! My son started at 7 months old and he has flourished.
They are kind, supportive and caring.
He loves nursery days and we have no concerns about sending him in.
The food is amazing, some days I am jealous of the lunch options.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Rebecca W (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves going to this nursery and as his mum, I don't have to worry at all about him. The staff are brilliant, he has a close bond with everyone in his room and specifically his key worker. They do lots of different activities and take them outdoors as much as the weather allows. I can see the
impact they are having on his learning every day. The staff clearly really care about my son and I know he is in incredibly safe hands. Booked my unborn son in for a place already!
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from E M (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing nursery in a beautiful setting. My little one is always happy to go in and play with all her friends. The frequent updates on the family app during the day give peace of mind that she is being well cared for. The staff are all fantastic too and have a great bond with my little one.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from Bekka S (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff at Arnhall have been amazing with my family. They meet my daughter's needs and help her grow and develop. They have created a tight-knit community that feels nurturing and safe and my daughters loves going to nursery every day (even asking to go on weekends!) The food variety and frequency
are amazing and my wee one comes home asking for all types of different foods!
The outdoor environments are the perfect mix of traditional classroom and forest school which meets our families' needs perfectly.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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Review from C P (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children have used Arnhall and I think it's excellent. Caring, sensible staff and fun activities, including lots of outside time - make it really enjoyable for the children. My daughter loves attending. Also really useful that there are early drop off and later pick up options around work times,
which I find invaluable. Would highly recommend it.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
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Review from S O (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has absolutely thrived at Arnhall, she is growing in confidence every day and genuinely loves the carers in her room. The mix of indoor and outdoor learning, the use of materials available and the creativity and kindness of the staff make me very happy to hand over my little one each day.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
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  • Staff
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Review from Julie S (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery staff is very friendly and attentive creating a close relationship with children and listening to feedback from parents. Our key worker has really helped with our son's confidence and nurtures his skills.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
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Review from Sarah B (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Wonderful nursery, can't fault it! Lots of messy play, outdoor exploration, learning and development. The staff are excellent and the facilities are great. Any issues dealt with in a timely and supportive manner.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support.
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  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
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  • Staff
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Review from F T (Mother of Child) published on 7 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My children are so well looked after, and I can tell this by how pleased they are to go to nursery. They're always given a variety of activities, opportunities and adventures; they're fed well and their general wellbeing is carefully considered and nourished on a daily basis. The outdoor learning areas
are great and staff seem happy to be there.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you so much for your kind words. Team Arnhall.
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Review from Lorne A (Mother of Child) published on 6 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended Arnhall for over 2 years and loves it. The outdoor space is fantastic and the rooms are great too with lots of sensory activities, carefully thought out games and play and she always greets me at the end of the day with a huge smile having had a "good day". The staff are fab;
they go above and beyond to provide a fun and caring environment for the children and even do beautiful hairstyles! We have seen her develop through nursery with her social and verbal skills in particular. I would recommend Arnhall and we haven't had any negative experiences. Thank you to the staff for creating a wonderful place that my daughter loves and looks forward to.
Reply from Norma McFarlane, Nursery Manager at Arnhall Nursery
Thank you so much for your kind words. Team Arnhall.
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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.972)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.972) out of 10 for Arnhall Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 44 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 44 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 4.972 for Arnhall Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (512 Excellents x 5) + (15 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 527 Ratings = 4.972
  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 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Arnhall Nursery is based on 44 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 107 number of registered child places is 21.4, which has been reached with 44 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  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

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Awards / Recognitions (40)

Meet the Team (6)

Norma

Norma McFarlane

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2003

Norma started at Arnhall Nursery in 2003 as a Room Supervisor. In July 2011 Norma was promoted to Nursery Manager and since this time has successfully developed into the role. Norma holds her HNC, SVQ4 and a BA in Childhood Practice. Norma is currently working towards her Froebel Practice. In her spare time Norma enjoys spending time with her family and friends, walking her dog and cycling.

Amanda

Amanda MacDonald

Job Title: Deputy Manager Joined: 2011

Amanda has worked at Arnhall for over 10 years. She holds her SVQ Level 3 in Early Years Education and Childcare, her PDA8 and is currently working towards her Froebel Practice. Amanda enjoys meeting up with family and friends and also walks with her dog.

Caroline

Caroline O'Neil

Job Title: Bumblebee Room Manager Joined: 2021

Caroline is a Level 9 SCQF Qualified and is the Room Manager of the Bumblebee Room. Caroline joined Arnhall Nursery in 2021. Caroline is also trained in Paediatric first aid enjoys spending time with her two boys and her dog Theo.

Julie

Julie Dick

Job Title: Ladybird Room Manager Joined: 1995

Julie is the Room Manager for the Ladybird Room and has worked at Arnhall for 25 years. She holds her SVQ Level 3 in Early Education and Childcare. In her spare time, Julie enjoys running and going away in her campervan with her partner.

Dawn

Dawn Dickson

Job Title: Grasshopper Room Manager Joined: 2017

Dawn is the Room Manager for the Grasshopper room. She holds her HNC in Early Education and Childcare and has worked at Arnhall since 2017. In her spare time, Dawn enjoys reading, going for walks and spending time with her little girl.

Jayde

Jayde Hallam

Job Title: Dragonfly Room Manager Joined: 2018

Jayde is the Room Manager for the Dragonfly Room and has worked at Arnhall since 2018. She holds her SVQ Level 3 in Early Years Education and Childcare. In her spare time, Jayde enjoys being outdoors, going to the gym and socialising.

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