Archway Nursery School

Hyde Farm, Salisbury Road, Pimperne, Blandford Forum DT11 8TX
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8.6 39 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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Care Provided by Archway Nursery School

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • 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
  • 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

Funding & Fees Guide for Archway Nursery School

  • 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

Archway Nursery School Reviews (39)

Total of 39, showing 1-20
8.6

Archway Nursery School has a Review Score of 8.6 (8.614) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Archway Nursery School has 39 reviews.

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Review from K S (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started at Archway in September 2024 and since then she's always come home smiling and learnt so many gross motor skills. She's made great attachments to the staff in the treetops room. Goes out to the garden when the sun is shining and always has a big smile on her face in the photos. Wonderful
nursery would highly recommend to others.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Archway Nursery School

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear how happy your daughter is at Archway and that she's building strong attachments with the Treetops team. It's fantastic to know she's enjoying her time in the garden and developing her gross motor skills. Your recommendation means the world to us.


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Review from J H (Father of Child) published on 12 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attended Archway Nursery from the start of 2023 till September 2024 (Until he went to school).
He always had a lovely time at Archway and made some great friends.
We really enjoyed the graduation cermoney when he left.

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Review from H H (Mother of Child) published on 21 January 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since our daughter started in September we have had an amazing experience, she really struggled with dropping off and picking up, and would often cry and get upset about being left. The team have all been absolutely amazing, they helped us find a drop off routine that worked and supported both our daughter
and us as parents to make sure drop off was quick and she was welcomed into the room quickly and distracted. Despite not being happy at drop off and pick up time, we were assured by the team that she was happy and enjoying playing with her friends through additional messages and photos or her having a lovely time in her class room.


Our daughter has developed so well with the support of the team at Archway, her speech and language has improved, her confidence has improved and she is so happy to get up and come to nursery now, she makes us run up the road to nursery in the morning now as she is so excited to come and join in the fun!


Reply from Archway Nursery School, Central support at Archway Nursery School

Thank you for sharing your experience! We're so glad to hear how much progress your daughter has made and that she's now excited to come to nursery each day. It's wonderful to know our team's support made drop-offs easier and contributed to her confidence, speech, and happiness. Your kind words mean so much to us!


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Review from K T (Mother of Child) published on 20 August 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at Archway since she was 7 months old and is now ready to start school in September. Throughout her 4 years at Archway, the staff have been brilliant. Caring, understanding and have encouraged her development to no end. Even during the tricky COVID years, she had the stability
of coming to nursery. It has been like her 2nd home.

Reply from Storal, Central support at Archway Nursery School

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and provide feedback. It's great to hear that your daughter has benefited from the care and education given at our nursery and we hope she had a great time starting at school this month!


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Review from H H (Mother of Child) published on 30 January 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Archway seems to be a caring and nurturing environment for my child. He seems very happy when he has finished a day here. The parent portal enables some form of connectivity to my child when he is attending and I can view pictures and videos of his day. The staff always respond to emails quickly and
efficiently and nothing seems too much trouble.

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Review from I L (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My boy had been at Archway since he was 3 months old and has moved through the rooms as he has grown (in the preschool room now). All have been exceptional and he has progressed so much! He loves the food, staff, other children, all the activities. I love that they go outside rain or shine as fresh
air is so great for them. Cannot fault Archway and I am so grateful that this is my son's nursery.

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Review from N K (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are really happy with the teaching staff in our nursery. We have experience with both of our kids and we are absolutely happy. Our kids learn a lot of new things, they eat healthy food and came home happy from them. New friendships as well.

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Review from C C (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves her days at nursery. She has fairly complex medical and learning needs, yet staff have high expectations of her. They understand her as a person as well as her needs, and support her in all areas. The food is varied and often home-grown. I know she'll eat well! The eylog is a great
way to see how she's doing and I love the photos that we get. I highly recommend Archway to all.

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Review from Jonquil W (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Archway has been absolutely fantastic at supporting our little one but even more so her transition to Starfish. She has settled instantly and loves the activities. I am so impressed with how all the staff interact with her and she is at ease with all of them. I always know what she's done in a day,
we get regular diary updates. I can safely say that Archway days are her favourite!

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Review from M S (Father of Child) published on 24 January 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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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Current Review Score: 8.6 (8.614)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.6 (8.614) out of 10 for Archway Nursery School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.6 out of 5 from 4 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.979 for Archway Nursery School is calculated as follows: ( (47 Excellents x 5) + (1 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 48 Ratings = 4.979

  • b) 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 3.635 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Archway Nursery School is based on 4 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 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 = 3.375

    • ii) 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. 4 Positive Reviews ÷ 15.4 = 0.26

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • 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

Awards / Recognitions (4)

Top 20 Large Nursery Groups 2023

Recipient: Storal

Date: Friday 28 Apr 2023 More details

Top 20 Large Nursery Groups 2022

Recipient: Storal

Date: Friday 29 Apr 2022 More details

Top 20 Large Nursery Groups 2020

Recipient: Storal

Date: Tuesday 31 Mar 2020 More details

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Meet the Team (1)

No image found

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.


Frequently Asked Questions about Archway Nursery School

What is the Age Range of Children that Archway Nursery School accepts?

Archway Nursery School accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Archway Nursery School Open?

Archway Nursery School is open: 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.

How many Children does Archway Nursery School have capacity for?

Archway Nursery School has capacity for a total of 77 Children.

How far is Archway Nursery School to the centre of Blandford Forum?

1.9 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 Archway Nursery School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Archway Nursery School has a Platinum Service – more info.