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In common with most parts of the UK, the best nurseries in the county are very sought-after so parents are advised to research and secure places at the earliest opportunity, particularly in Bournemouth and Poole. We offer advice and guidance on choosing a nursery.
The sprawling metropolis of Bournemouth and Poole has a mixture of corporate nurseries and small local providers. Talbot Woods Day Nursery and Pre-School, part of the Bright Horizons chain, offers all-year-round childcare from 3 months to 5 years. Others include Queens Park Montessori Day Nursery, Ashley Cross Montessori and Blue Penguin Montessori at Alum Chine.
Bournemouth Collegiate School (BCS) Prep, an independent school in Parkstone, has its own nursery school for children aged two and up. Talbot Heath School in Bournemouth has just opened Honey Bees Family and Toddler Group for children aged 0-4. Run by the school’s in-house early years team, it’s open on Fridays from 9.30-10.30am.
Meanwhile across town in Upton, Yarrells Preparatory School admits children aged 2-4, with many staying on to join the prep afterwards. The nursery is very popular so parents should apply as early as possible.
Best primary schools in Bournemouth and Poole
Best state secondary schools in Bournemouth and Poole
Best private schools in Bournemouth and Poole
Blandford Nursery and Shaftesbury Nursery are both quality options. Archway Nursery School in the village of Pimperne, three miles from Blandford, was started more than 20 years ago and has a good reputation locally. Halfway between Blandford and Wimborne is the privately-owned The Old School Nursery in the pretty village of Shapwick, based in the beautiful old village school. Two private schools, Bryanston Prep in Durweston and Port Regis near Shaftesbury, also have their own nurseries. Bryanston Prep’s nursery section has 16 places for 3 and 4 year olds.
Best primary schools in Blandford
Best state secondary schools in Blandford
Best private schools in Blandford
Pear Tree Nursery and Pre-School in the centre of Sherborne is the sister nursery of Lower Covey Montessori School in Yetminster, four miles away, and both are popular with families. The owner has 30 years of childcare experience and aims to promote children’s independence and help them to grow into confident pre-schoolers set for the transition to primary school.
The nursery at Leweston School, a private school in a rural setting three miles from Sherborne, takes children from three months to four years. Parents are advised to apply and register their interest as early as possible – there are long waiting lists. Sherborne Prep has its own nursery – children can attend for full days, mornings only, lunchtime sessions or afternoon sessions.
Best primary schools in Sherborne
Best state secondary schools in Sherborne
Best private schools in Sherborne
Dorset’s county town has a range of options for pre-schoolers. Standouts include The Grove Pre-School Playgroup in town and Sunny Days, a custom-built nursery on the edge of Poundbury. The Grove offers a 10 per cent NHS discount for Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust employees.
Best primary schools in Dorchester
Best state secondary schools in Dorchester
Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
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