Arnhall Nursery

Gardens Cottages, Keir Estate, Dunblane FK15 9NU
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10 145 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.

Care Provided by Arnhall Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • 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
  • 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

Funding & Fees Guide for Arnhall Nursery

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


Total of 145, showing 81-100
10

Arnhall Nursery has a Review Score of 10 (9.969) out of 10, based on 38 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Arnhall Nursery has 145 reviews.

Overall Experience

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall is a fabulous setting with an amazing outdoor environment for children to learn and grow. My son has had some of the best experiences at Arnhall, and sees this as a second home! All of the staff are so friendly and caring, always have the best interests of all children within their care at heart!
Could not pick a better setting for my son to attend. Highly recommend this nursery. From indoor learning experiences to outdoor, my son's needs are met and challenged every day. The relationships he has formed with staff not only from his room but around the nursery is phenomenal. Such a positive, homely and welcoming atmosphere in and around the nursery. The management team are always ready and happy to help at any given time. My son loves coming to Arnhall nursery and talks a lot at home about his experiences at nursery!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall Nursery is a fantastic place for children to learn and develop their independent mind set. Staff at Arnhall could not be any nicer and my child has a great fondness for the staff in his room. My wife and my minds are always at ease when my child is in the care of Arnhall.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall is an excellent nursery. The staff work very hard and make sure the kids have fun and learn at the same time. There are lots of different activities each day.
The food offered is great and has lots of variations.
The outdoor space is huge and lots of fun things for kids to explore.
I would
highly recommend Arnhall.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall is a great nursery. The staff are thoughtful, friendly and seem highly motivated.
My daughter attends and she loves it. The children participate in a great variety of activities both inside and outside.
The food is healthy and there is a good variety so she is always trying something new.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The setting of Arnhall is fantastic and the staff make great use of the forest area to provide exciting learning experiences. The staff know the children well and provide excellent care for them. There is an excellent range of learning experiences and my daughter loves it. She has been well supported.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our child loves nursery and all the playing outside. The staff know him well and he enjoys good relationships with all of the room staff. Happy child, happy parents! We always recommend Arnhall to our friends and feel lucky to have found such a great nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall is an excellent nursery. It provides a positive and caring environment for young children to learn. They provide an amazing array of activities in a beautiful location and grounds. The staff always go the extra mile for the children.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall has been wonderful for my little boy. He has grown in confidence every day and absolutely loves going to nursery. His key worker is great and he loves all the staff in the room. I love the fact they are taken outside to explore the estate and he is thriving in the nursery environment.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent nursery in a fantastic setting. The staff are committed and helpful. The range of activities both indoors and outdoors is very good.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall was highly recommended to me by a friend, then when we went for our visit, myself and my husband loved the settling and the outdoor areas. A year and a half on, we are more than happy that we have still picked the right choice for our son. The staff are amazing, know the children and genuinely
care for the little ones. The food choice that is given is better than I would do at home! The activities and learning that is offered have allowed my little boy to thrive and the learning logs that are regularly updated, and daily feedback let us know his progress. I would highly recommend Arnhall to any parents.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This extremely well-managed nursery is set in amazing surroundings. My son has an action-packed day which includes quiet time, story yoga, walks around the estate, days in the forest and much more. All of the children are very happy and it has a great feel about it.


All of the staff are very happy,

caring, work well as a team whilst maintaining professionalism at all times. They always go the extra mile!


Well done Armhall, you’re definitely doing it right.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Everyone is so welcoming and there is a lovely atmosphere in the room. My daughter settled in quickly and has really enjoyed participating in lots of new activities.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wonderful nursery, they have helped baby and mum settle and baby is now thriving in all aspects. Love the outdoor explorations too.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff at Arnhall have made the transition of starting nursery much less stressful. They are engaging and attentive not only to the children in their care but also for us parents (nervous first timers) who are adjusting too.


The emphasis on outdoor play is refreshing and the grounds lend themselves

to this exceedingly well. Reassuring that the nursery is off the main road.


Early days for us, but very impressed so far.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I love the nursery's environmental awareness and their belief in outdoor learning.


They're very good at handling my child's allergies and I feel my child is in safe hands. Any issues regarding my child's welfare always seem to be dealt with compassionately and professionally.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Arnhall provides my daughter with a loving safe environment where I know that she is happy to be left. She enjoys her time at the nursery and all of the staff there are outstanding. They treat everyone with care and respect and in my opinion, they provide the best daycare facilities in this area.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child's experience at Arnhall has been excellent. The staff are all warm and pleasant and put the child first. The learning environment is second to none, in particular, the outside environment. Children have a good balance between structure and FreePlay and parents get an excellent level of feedback
on a daily basis. The food is varied and healthy and encourages the children to try new things.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started at Arnhall in January and both her and I could not be happier with our choice! The key workers made her feel welcomed and relaxed during her transition and she’s now reluctant to leave at the end of the day! I would definitely recommend Arnhall Nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has a great time at Arnhall. The staff are very supportive and have helped with potty training and my daughter becoming a big sister. They are very creative and imaginative in the projects they do with the children.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent nursery with fantastic staff and great facilities and what is important is that the children not only learn whilst they're there but they also enjoy themselves.

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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.969)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.969) out of 10 for Arnhall Nursery 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 38 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 38 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 4.969 for Arnhall Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (441 Excellents x 5) + (14 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 455 Ratings = 4.969

  • 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 Arnhall Nursery is based on 38 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 107 number of registered child places is 21.4, which has been reached with 38 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.

Child Vacancies

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

Awards / Recognitions (39)

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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.