YMCA Nursery, Whale Island

HMS Excellent, Whale Island, Portsmouth PO2 8ER
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8.1 9 Reviews
  • YMCA Nursery, Whale Island, Portsmouth
YMCA Little Whale Nursery is a 58 place Ofsted rated 'Outstanding' (2014) day nursery on HMS Excellent, Whale Island, Portsmouth, they offer full day care from 0730-1800.

The nursery provides childcare places to Naval and Service personnel and from the local community.

They have two childcare rooms one for children under two years and a large room where the children over two years are based, these children are split into their age groups throughout the day allowing the preschool children to take part in some more focused activities.

The facility has a wide range of play and learning equipment that contributes to the mental and physical development of children, with a strong emphasis on communication and social skills. Meals and snacks are arranged to support parents' dedication to good nutrition, with individual health issues considered in all aspects of the service. Staff would be happy to show you around their nursery and grounds, all you need to do is give them a call!
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Funding & Fees

Our main website includes a Fees Estimate Calculator tool, to help you plan your childcare. This can be found on the Whale Island page.


Full Day Care (Includes mid-morning snack, hot lunch, afternoon snack & consumables) 8am to 6pm £80.80
Morning Session (Includes mid-morning snack, hot lunch & consumables) 8am to 1pm £47.85
Afternoon Session (Includes afternoon snack & consumables) 1pm to 6pm £45.15


Breakfast Club (Includes breakfast) 7:30am to 8am £4.90
Additional Hour Charge £10.00 per hour


Funded childcare places available. Voluntary consumables charges and food charges may apply for funded sessions.

We offer funded childcare places for eligible families including 15 and 30 hour funding options. Meals and consumables are chargeable during funded sessions. Please contact our nursery team for more information about funding eligibility, session availability and current charges.

Contact YMCA Nursery, Whale Island to get a personalised quote.

Contact YMCA Nursery, Whale Island to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Sophie (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 15

Registered Charity Number

  • 1090981

Total Places for Children

  • 58

Age Range

  • from 0 years 4 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Parking

  • Yes, there is parking nearby for visitors and drop-offs.

YMCA Nursery, Whale Island Reviews (9)

8.1

YMCA Nursery, Whale Island has a Review Score of 8.1 (8.086) out of 10, based on 1 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time YMCA Nursery, Whale Island has 9 reviews.

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Total of 9, showing 1-9
Review from Daniella F (Mother of Child) published on 6 October 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I've used YMCA Whale Island nursery for all three of my children now. The staff are fantastic. They're friendly, passionate and my children have all thrived here. My youngest has been with the nursery for a year and absolutely loves it! The facilities are second to none and the outdoor nature of the
nursery is its biggest appeal. Can't recommend this nursery enough.
Reply from Ross Owen, YMCA Team at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you so much for sharing such a lovely review. It means the world to us that all three of your children have been part of our YMCA Little Nursery. We're very proud of our staff and outdoor space, as we know they make a great difference to our little ones' development. Your kind words about the team will be shared with them - they'll be thrilled to know the positive impact they've had. We really appreciate your recommendation and continued trust in us.
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Review from L E (Mother of Child) published on 6 September 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has attended the nursery for the last two years, and I have been so pleased to see how much she has grown in that time, thanks to the wonderful staff at Whale Island. It is a smaller setting, but with such wonderful and unique surroundings that the children get to explore. The children are
encouraged to learn through involvement and gain so much confidence in their own abilities. I was so happy with the children's involvement in nature learning to grow and harvest their own food in the nature garden. The staff are all so lovely and supportive and encourage the children with their adventures and crazy imaginations. I would thoroughly recommend Whale Island to anyone.
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you very much for taking the time to write this review. We are very proud of our nature garden and all the learning it provides for the children. We are glad to hear that your child enjoyed the nature garden.
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Review from Puja J (Mother of Child) published on 30 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has attended since he was 11 months old and he’s loved his journey. Amazing staff with so much heart and caring mindset. The teachers really make an effort to engage the kids and develop them in a very individualised way. The management is really committed to providing a safe, fun, and
loving environment and we’re very thankful to the whole team at the nursery!
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you very much for taking the time to write this review. We are very committed to children's individual interests, which helps with their enthusiasm to learn. Good luck in your next journey.
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Review from Graham L (Father of Child) published on 23 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our youngest son is just about to finish his time at Whale Island. He originally attended another nursery pre-Covid and was then transferred to Whale Island as we were no longer commuting to work.
We have seen how much he's developed over the last 23 months, from his confidence, his vocabulary and
articulation, to being able to ride a bike without stabilisers! Following his progress on the app has been great too.
Being one of the bigger kids this year has meant he had to be more of a role model for his younger friends, and hearing how he looks after the smaller children are great.
He has had an amazing time attending the nursery, and he is already saying how much he's going to miss his friends and "his grown-ups".
We can see that he's definitely ready to start school in September, but we have to accept this with a heavy heart as he's loved it so much. It's going to be very strange not making the trip over to Whale Island every morning to drop him off.
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you for taking the time to write this review. It is always a great pleasure for us to watch the children grow in confidence and enjoy their time at their nursery.
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Review from S L (Mother of Child) published on 22 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am writing a review of my child’s overall experience whilst being at YMCA Nursery, Whale Island.
The staff here have always gone above and beyond me to make me and my child feel welcome and safe.
The meals provided are always healthy, and routines are set in place for all children.
Overall, would
highly recommend it!
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you for taking the time to write this review. It is always nice to hear that children and their families feel welcome and safe as this is very important to us.
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Review from Kim P (Mother of Child) published on 22 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I can't say enough nice things about YMCA Nursery, Whale Island.
The staff are so lovely and creative with their ideas for games and activities. There is nowhere else in the area with such a nice garden. The other week the children got to watch caterpillars hatching as well as a splash pool built by
one member of staff.
Three particular members of staff should have a medal for their dedication to the kids. My boys love them to bits.
It is a bit more expensive than some other nurseries, but it's worth every penny.
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you for taking the time to write this amazing review. It is always nice to hear feedback from parents. The caterpillars and splash pool were a huge success, and it was lovely to see the children engaging and having lots of fun.
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Review from Kelly A (Mother of Child) published on 18 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has been going to the nursery for the last 8 months. It's the best decision I have made. The nursery is so good. My child thrives there. The outside space is amazing, and having the extra room on the island to explore is an added bonus. All the staff there are so friendly, hard-working and
amazing people. They keep you updated with things my child has done throughout the week, and the handovers are very detailed. The resources they have inside are great; they get children to think and learn whilst having fun. My child looks forward to going there every day and even wants to go there at weekends, which must say something for the setting.
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you for taking the time to write this lovely review. It is always nice to hear how happy the children are in our setting, and it is a great pleasure for us to watch them thrive and grow.
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Review from P W (Mother of Child) published on 18 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We viewed a few nurseries for our children aged 1 and 3, and YMCA Nursery, Whale Island, was by far the best. Our children seemed most comfortable there; they were excited and happy to explore whilst we viewed the nursery and chatted to the staff. All staff are caring and compassionate and have made
wonderful bonds with our children. They were both quite unhappy when they first joined, but it didn’t take them long to settle; the staff made reasonable adjustments to help our eldest settle in, and now they love it. They both come home sticky and filthy, which is definitely a sign of a good day! The thing we loved most about the nursery would have to be the outside space. All of the children have access to a large outside garden; they quite often go for walks on the naval base grounds, which my children love. They had the opportunity to watch the band practising for the Queen's Jubilee and even joined in with pots and pans. We love YMCA nursery, and most of all my children are happy.
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandWe are very grateful to you for taking the time to write this review. It is always a pleasure watching children grow and thrive in the setting, and we are very happy that they are enjoying their time at nursery.
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Review from M M (Mother of Child) published on 18 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This nursery has been phenomenal in supporting my child. I have used the nursery for a short time due to recently moving to the area, and the staff listened carefully to my concerns and areas my little one needed extra support, and they immediately implemented a plan to support the specific needs. The
smaller setting is perfect with unique resources, eg seeing marching bands, helicopters and ships, which allow the dynamic and imaginative staff to embrace the interests of little ones, creating learning opportunities. The nursery is energised, and my little one is excited to attend. All of the staff are engaging and enthusiastic, and my child has thrived and overcome physical and emotional challenges with a new confidence thanks to the dedication and individual attention which wasn’t delivered in the previous larger nursery setting. I wish my child had been able to attend this fabulous nursery for longer, but the staff have already prepared my little one so well for the challenge of school.
Reply from Sarah Henderson, Nursery Manager at YMCA Nursery, Whale IslandThank you for taking the time to write this review. We are very happy to have met your child's needs and that they have enjoyed being at our nursery.
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Current Review Score: 8.1 (8.086)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.1 (8.086) out of 10 for YMCA Nursery, Whale Island 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 1 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.1 out of 5 from 1 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 5.000 for YMCA Nursery, Whale Island is calculated as follows: ( (12 Excellents x 5) ) ÷ 12 Ratings = 5
  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 3.086 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for YMCA Nursery, Whale Island is based on 1 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 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 = 3
    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 58 number of registered child places is 11.6. 1 Positive Reviews ÷ 11.6 = 0.086
  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 (0)

Meet the Team (2)

Sam

Sam Martin

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2025

Sam is the Nursery Manager at Little Whale Nursery in Portsmouth, bringing enthusiasm, experience and a genuine love for early years to her role. She was inspired to work with young children after seeing the pride they felt when achieving small steps, and how those moments shaped their future learning. Sam is passionate about giving children the best possible start, creating a nurturing environment with strong role models and meaningful interactions. She believes these early experiences are key to children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Outside of work, Sam enjoys spending time with her family and caring for her tortoise, Charlie.

Sophie

Sophie

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2025

Sophie Cooper is the Administrator at Little Whale Nursery in Portsmouth, playing a key role in keeping everything organised and running smoothly. She supports families from their very first enquiry, ensuring they feel welcomed, informed and confident throughout their journey with the nursery. Sophie manages bookings, communication and day-to-day administration with efficiency and a friendly, approachable manner. She enjoys being part of such an important stage in children’s lives and takes pride in helping create a positive experience for every family. Her calm presence and attention to detail make her a trusted and reassuring point of contact for both parents and staff.

Frequently Asked Questions about YMCA Nursery, Whale Island

What is the Age Range of Children that YMCA Nursery, Whale Island accepts?

YMCA Nursery, Whale Island accepts Children aged from 0 years 4 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is YMCA Nursery, Whale Island Open?

YMCA Nursery, Whale Island is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does YMCA Nursery, Whale Island have capacity for?

YMCA Nursery, Whale Island has capacity for a total of 58 Children.

How far is YMCA Nursery, Whale Island to the centre of Portsmouth?

1.7 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

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