The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

4-6 New Walk, Leicester LE1 6TF
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10 43 Reviews
  • The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school, Leicester
The Dolls House Nursery & Pre School is a family run nursery which aims to provide children with the best start in life through playing and learning.

Every day is different at the nursery and pre-school, with a range of stimulating and exciting activities on offer for children to participate in.

There are age-specific rooms for children to spend time in, which follows the EYFS to provide children with high quality early years education, which also helps children develop their personal and social skills.

Staff members specialise in their own area of childcare as well as having the relevant qualifications to provide great childcare every day.

Care Provided by The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

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

Good to Know

  • Owner
  • The D.H. Nursery Ltd
  • Person in charge
  • Farhana Usman (Area Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 10
  • Total Places for Children
  • 60
  • 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 & 1 week at Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

  • £71 per day - £61 per half day


  • The Dolls House is an all-inclusive nursery including home-cooked meals, nappies, wipes, Calpol and sun-cream etc. Also including weekly professional dance, singing and French lessons with forest discovery trips and outing to Manor Farm park.
    HMRC tax-free child-care and government funding for 15 or 30 hours will be accepted and administered to significantly reduce your fees.


  • Parking
  • Exclusive drop-off on King street for members only.


The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school Reviews (43)

Total of 43, showing 1-20
10

The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school has a Review Score of 10 (9.974) out of 10, based on 13 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school has 43 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has been going Full time to The Dolls House Nursery for over a year and a half now, so plenty of time and experience with them. I'm extremely satisfied with my child's development in every aspect. He's always learning new things and excited to go to the nursery every day. I never had any problems
or difficulties in communicating with the staff. I appreciate the effort they put into offering a huge variety of healthy food. I love seeing my child's photos and videos on the app. I feel very lucky to have found such a warm nice nursery for my son. I definitely recommend it!

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you for such a wonderful review, we are very proud of our kitchen and the wide variety of home-cooked meals every day. We really do believe that it makes a big difference to the development of the child's mind and body when the food offered is freshly cooked and of high quality. Our expert chef is passionate about the balance of nutritious ingredients and the children are introduced to a very broad menu-preparing them for a lifetime enjoying healthy food.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter attended the Doll House Nursery about 1 year. She really found going to school like fun and feels very happy to be in the nursery. The safe environment, the atmosphere and the staffs were amazing. These removed the fear and panic I had from the previous fall my daughter had at her last
nursery. She developed lots of confidence and feels safe, sometimes she would wish to stay longer than her hours. I felt very happy that I made a very good decision by enrolling her in Doll House Nursery as one of the best decisions I made. Many thanks to all the staff for their hard work and support towards our daughter it is incredible.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you for your wonderful review, we enjoyed having you as members. Our staff team do work very hard to get the very best out of our members and love to see children develop and thrive in a learning atmosphere.Our team will really appreciate your splendid review. Thank you.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy attended The Dolls House for 1 year - just starting school this September. Being at The Dolls House really made my son grow in many ways, he thoroughly enjoyed going to the nursery and being around the children and the staff, the nursery feels home from home and the activities and the
toys are perfect to help your child develop. They're always out doing little trips and walks to the market/museum which my little boy absolutely loved! The meals they provide are delicious and such a variety always healthy options. The nursery helped my little one reach many milestones and has really helped him transition into school without an issue! We will miss you all.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you, what a lovely review. He will love school and is completely ready. The best results always come when enthusiastic and caring parents engage with a like-minded nursery. We wish you all the best.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has attended The Dolls House Nursery for the last 3 years. We cannot thank the staff enough for the amazing atmosphere they create in this nursery. The whole team have kept our daughter safe, and comfortable. She is excited to attend each day! She has made friends, takes part in lots of
activities and has become very confident. She will even speak to us in French! The nursery offers a wide menu, and supports our daughter's fussy eating habits! We appreciate the regular updates on her progress through tapestry, including lots of pictures and videos! We have always found it easy to communicate with the team. We have recommended the nursery to many of our friends and will always be grateful for the support they have provided in raising our little one!

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you, it has been an absolute joy. As parents, you really engaged with the nursery and we will miss you as much as your little girl. I know she will really excel at school, and go on to be really successful. Keep in touch, all the best.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Amazing nursery! Very friendly and experienced employees. Since day one we felt very welcomed. Thank you for all the hard work you put into each day. Our daughter feels happy and secure at the nursery. Recommend to everyone!

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much - what a great review -It says everything - nothing to add. Great to have you with us.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is the best nursery I could have ever sent my child to! I don't know how even to begin complimenting them. After an awful experience at a previous nursery, my child suffered from intense separation anxiety, however, the staff were incredible and supported my child to feel at ease. Within two weeks
my child adjusted to the routine and was content with staying there all day.


I can tell my child is content with this nursery because they run to the nursery gates in the morning, have a beautiful smile on their face at 5 pm, and love to interact with the staff. You can tell that the staff enjoy their job and really do put the children at the heart of what they do.


The curriculum is amazing, their food is freshly cooked every day with fresh ingredients and there are plenty of growth-inducing activities for our children.


It exceeded my expectations.


It is pricey without the funding but you must view it (if you can afford it!) as an investment for your child's future!


5 stars!


Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. Our team of talented key-workers and teachers work hard to support all aspects of your child's learning. and includes trouble-free settling-in and support for parents. We are so pleased that The Dolls House Nursery answers your needs. The management team also aim to support and advise, helping parents navigate funding and tax-free schemes.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 1 year old had a great time at the nursery. I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the wonderful care and attention they have provided to my son, during his time at The Dolls house Nursery. As a parent, one of the most important decisions we make is choosing a safe and nurturing
environment for my child's early development. He is definitely gonna miss the nursery. Thank you for taking care of him so well. I will get back to you again, If we move back to Leicester.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

As your son settled, he has had a great time. A very social little one who loves having his friends around him. I hope that we have added to his development and learning, we will miss him, and yourselves as parents.
We would love to see you again in the future and we wish you all the very best.





We wish you the very best


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The entire team at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-School have been fantastic over the past year with my little one. My child was born during Covid and therefore he did not receive the level of interaction with other children or adults as he would have done pre-Covid. He was a very reserved child, but
the staff at The Dolls House and Pre-School helped him come out of his shell and settle into the nursery. My son has enjoyed his singing sessions on Wednesdays and outdoor walks to the market and museum. I would recommend this nursery and preschool to any parent looking to enroll their child.
My son will most definitely miss the team. Thank you to the entire team for being so great, and we look forward to returning to join your nursery in the near future with our younger son.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you,
It's clear that your son has grown and developed a great deal over the past year and his confidence
has multiplied. He will continue to progress and will embrace change.
We, too, look forward to welcoming you both again with your younger son.
Best wishes


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attended this nursery for 3 years and absolutely loved it here. They provide healthy cooked meals for the children and take them on trips to different places. They have a forest school which allows the children to go out and explore nature. They also provide French lessons for the preschool children.
All of the staff are friendly and take excellent care of the children. I would definitely recommend this nursery/preschool if you are considering sending your child here. My son always came home happy and was always excited to go to nursery/preschool. Excellent place to send your child.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you Emma,
He has enjoyed such a great time and you, as parents, have taught him a lot and given
such a variety of experiences.
I know he will love school, and deserves to go far.
Thank you.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little girl was at The Dolls House for over 2 years, having just left to start school this August. The Dolls house has put her in great stead for learning, socialising and being an all round amazing little girl.
Any small issues, concerns or general parenting things we ever had, we spoke directly
to the staff and these were resolved immediately.
It's also worth noting, the two years our little girl was at nursery, they had to contend with Covid and did with professionalism and care and the children always came first.
Amazing nursery which we will miss greatly, but will always be a huge part of our life and our daughter's.
We will continue to sing the French songs she still sings, dances like no one is watching and reminisce about her time there.
Thank you to the manager and team.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you for that review. An amazing little girl who will do so well at school.
She engaged perfectly with the staff team and enjoyed every activity, every trip
and party (especially the 'Forest Discovery' days).
We all wish you the very best for the future.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent nursery, both of my sons love going, they have been going for a couple of years now. Staff are amazing always keeping us updated with everything that’s going on. Thank you to all the staff and management.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much. Your two sons are brilliant and have a great future at school.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I can't thank The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school enough for the care they took of my baby girl while she was with them. My job has recently changed, so it was with a heavy heart that we had to change nurseries. The baby room manager and the team are amazing and I felt extremely confident that my
little one was being very well looked after.
Thank you to her key worker for the love that you have shown. Beautiful nursery for her first few months of going.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much for the lovely review. Our baby department (The Little House for babies) really seems to give new parents confidence and encouragement. Our pleasant surroundings on Leicester's New Walk are a home-from-home for our
little ones and a lovely place to spend those growing early years. Thank you.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school is an excellent nursery. My four-year-old son is currently attending two different nurseries on different days due to practical reasons. He has attended another nursery for almost two years, and The Dolls House for a few weeks. My child loved it there! From week
two, he wanted to go to The Dolls House every day and easily made friends. I am very curious how they did this. The care from the staff and the physical quality of the nursery are exceptional. Also, it was a pleasure to meet the owner, who is really engaged and dedicated. Thanks for all, very much appreciated!

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much. We really enjoyed your membership. All the best for the future.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent nursery and pre-school. Our daughter has been at The Dolls House since the age of one year and now is three years old. The care and communication from the staff are exceptional. The nursery has a lovely, homely feel to it and our daughter has thrived. Learning key skills and gaining confidence
in social interactions with other children and forming wonderful bonds with staff and children alike. My daughter displays a lot of confidence and willingness to learn outside of the nursery provision and this is a huge credit to the team.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you for that excellent review. Your daughter, from the age of one, has become much more confident and loves to be part of her group. She loves her key team and speaks confidently to all staff members. This all points to her smoothly transitioning to school when the time is right. She will learn well.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son attended the Dolls House and the Cottages. I found the staff at both locations excellent and very informative. Our son settled in well in both settings, quickly making good friendships and relationships with his key workers. He has now finished, going off to EYFS at school and I feel they have
definitely given him the best start to his schooling. We can't thank the staff, at both settings, enough.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much. Very enjoyable and special years. Your child participated fully in our varied learning and activities and quickly reaped the benefits. He particularly enjoyed the outdoor activities and trips. He was so excited to go to school. We enjoyed working with you to achieve the best outcome.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The Dolls House nursery and preschool is an amazing place to put your child in. The key workers there are very professional, caring and loving. Also, the owner of the place is very attentive, engaged and dedicated to the place which is reflected in the quality of service provided. My son attended the
nursery and pre-school for nearly three years and he is now at school. It has been three wonderful and enjoyable years for him. He actually misses the place and people there so much. During his stay, he became a very confident person, loved to explore, was independent and was always eager to learn about new things. I am very, very happy with the place, people and dedication shown over there. Highly recommended.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you for this wonderful review. Your whole family engaged with, and supported our nursery and pre-school through difficult times. We very much appreciate that. Your child has gained much confidence through singing,
and performance. I know he will do well at school and continue to thrive. Thank you.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very nice nursery. The staff are very welcoming and my child loves going there. The preschool is huge and there are a lot of activities for the children to do. The variety of food is great and it's clear a lot of effort goes into the children's education.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you. Our team take great pride in the important work we do in the development of the children and in making sure they are completely school-ready.
Your child is a joy to teach and will love the school experience. Thank you for your review.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have had our two boys at The Dolls House Nursery & Cottages Pre-School for almost 6-years now, and this year is about to come to an end. They have been a brilliant nursery and pre-school for our boys. Always thinking outside the box in what they provide for the children - always welcoming, always
entertaining, always creative. The boys have loved it there, and I wouldn't think of sending them anywhere else.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much Maddy for your wonderful review. It has been a pleasure to care for and teach, your very clever boys, and as always, success results from a close team effort with a wonderful family. Well done, and good luck as the youngest starts school.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been with the Dolls House nursery since the age of nine months. Now turning three, he has transitioned to the Cottages preschool. This process was wonderfully painless and how it was managed is a credit to the staff. I cannot give enough praise to their care and attention. All practitioners
are well qualified, patient and empathetic to the individual needs of the children. The education our son has received is second to none, and it is clear to see how the Dolls House and Cottages have aided his development in literacy and numeracy skills, confidence as well as his general wellbeing. The food is home cooked and excellent, with plenty of variety to keep little tastebuds interested. The online parents' app updates help us to engage with our son about what he has been doing each day and continue themes during home activities. A big thank you to all involved in his care, we couldn't do it without you!

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you so much, Will. Your wonderful review says it all. As parents, you clearly see things the way we do and value the same priorities in your child's development. It is good to know that our staff team are right on track.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attended The Dolls House and Cottages from 9 months old, until starting school this September. He really enjoyed attending the nursery and as a mother, I felt really relaxed and comfortable having him there. Both me and my son miss The Cottages dearly! And now that he attends school, we realise
how much of a privilege it was to have him in this nursery, school is sadly a downgrade! The staff are friendly and thoroughly told me about my son's day and any details I wanted to know (another thing I miss now he’s at school) I think his development was great thanks to The Dolls House and Cottages and highly recommend it.

Reply from Nigel Dakin, Owner / MD and Membership at The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

Thank you, Sam. I know that your son enjoyed every minute, and you were always very positive about his nursery and pre-school experience. He was well prepared for school and will progress well with his education. We wish him, and you, all the best for the future.


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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.974)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.974) out of 10 for The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-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 13 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 13 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 4.974 for The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school is calculated as follows: ( (152 Excellents x 5) + (4 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 156 Ratings = 4.974

  • 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 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school is based on 13 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 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • 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 60 number of registered child places is 12, which has been reached with 13 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions about The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school

What is the Age Range of Children that The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school accepts?

The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school Open?

The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-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 The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school have capacity for?

The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school has capacity for a total of 60 Children.

How far is The Dolls House Nursery and Pre-school to the centre of Leicester?

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