Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

Ramoyle, Dunblane FK15 0BD
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9.9 71 Reviews
  • Dunblane Nature Kindergarten, Dunblane
Delighted to have been awarded NMT Nursery Group Award 2018.

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is situated in the beautiful town of Dunblane, with its calm and peaceful community. There are easy links to the motorway network, excellent parking for safe and easy drop off and collection and they are just a short walk to the local train station. The nursery is very much a part of the local community making links with Dunblane, Newton and St. Mary Primary Schools, Dunblane High and Queen Victoria High and providing both nursery and out of school care services.

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is based across two buildings, a large two storey sandstone villa and a new build single storey property each with direct access to the outdoor play areas. Each building is divided into specially designed play rooms, beautifully furnished and equipped with a plentiful range of quality resources. They have three secure individual fun gardens for each stage of a child’s development to improve the educational experience they provide, giving the opportunity to explore and investigate a wide range of materials and enjoy physical play in a safe and fun environment.

The two buildings are surrounded by a highly engaging and challenging garden area. The garden design was created through consultation with children, parents and staff to encompass a community project and a sense of place for all to enjoy. When parents come to visit, they will find a haven for children to have fun whilst learning. The under footing will compromise of a mixture of turf, wood chip and stone, the various materials chosen to promote the development of child core stability, which in turn develops the balance from within the inner ear. These materials were also chosen for children to work with as a loose part, enhancing the children’s learning experiences as they pick and choose what materials to work with.

Care Provided by Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Linda Boon (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 14
  • Total Places for Children
  • 62
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 0 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Christmas & New Year

Funding & Fees Guide for Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

  • Contact us to learn more about our competitive fee structure. Funded spaces available.


  • Parking
  • The nursery has its very own car park at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten, which you are more than welcome to use when visiting us. Ideal for drop offs and pick ups for you and your family too!


Dunblane Nature Kindergarten Reviews (71)

Total of 71, showing 21-40
9.9

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.930) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Dunblane Nature Kindergarten has 71 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a fantastic nursery with wonderful staff who go out of their way to encourage and support every child. Our daughter loves attending this nursery and is always learning something new. They strike the perfect balance of adventure and fun, with hands-on learning.

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, we really appreciate it. Our team will be delighted to read your lovely review. All the best, the Thrive team.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten for 6 months. Like most, he took a while to settle in but during that time he was given lots of support. We always get lots of feedback at the end of the day and the girls try to plan activities around his interests which is lovely to see. He always receives
a variety of nutritional home-cooked food. My son now absolutely loves going to nursery and has developed such great bonds. Thank you so much for all your hard work and support!

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, we really appreciate it. Our team will be delighted to read your lovely review. All the best, the Thrive team.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is great because it puts the child in the centre and provides a personalised service to each child. They have a good balance of outdoor/indoor play, learning and development and the staff strive towards building a trusting relationship with the children they care for.

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, we really appreciate it. Our team will be delighted to read your lovely review. All the best, the Thrive team.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I was anxious sending my baby to nursery at 11 months old to go back to work. He is a child who loves cuddles all day and gets distressed without continual adult reassurance.
I have been blown away by how happy he’s been since starting nursery and by the wonderful, caring and attentive staff.
All
the child carers seem to have a genuine fondness for and interest in young children and, from what I can see, all the children (including my own baby) seem super content, cared for, happy and thriving.
I am so very happy with and grateful for this facility.

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, we really appreciate it. Our team will be delighted to read your lovely review. All the best, the Thrive Team.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten has been absolutely incredible for my twins. The staff are just amazing. I'm in awe of them every day. We opted to defer them from school to spend an extra year there as they are getting such great care, nurturing, healthy meals, outdoor time, child-led play and a great
variety of activities. The chef is fantastic and has been great at dealing with my daughter's severe milk allergy. She's not had a single reaction there but they also don't single her out or treat her differently due to it. Their key workers are so caring, supportive, understand their individual needs and are great at supporting both the children and the parents! So grateful to Dunblane Nature Kindergarten and the amazing staff for making our lives so much easier!

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

A wonderful review thank you ever so much and it is fantastic to hear how well the chef and team have managed your daughter's dietary requirements, so reassuring as a parent.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has flourished since starting his education and care with Dunblane Nature Kindergarten. As a child born during lockdown, I was immensely worried about socialising for him and how the effects of the pandemic would affect his development, but all the staff he's had the pleasure to be under the
care of have been absolutely wonderful.
He is a very outgoing and confident child anyway, but these traits are nurtured and encouraged, as well as many other tools and skills he needs to develop. The staff are kind, interested and enthusiastic and I know my son is getting a wonderful, educational and fun experience in their hands.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both our children attend Dunblane Nature Kindergarten and have absolutely thrived there. The staff are so kind, thoughtful and professional. The kids are very at ease there and happy. My daughter is about to start primary school and we’re sad she’s leaving her Dunblane Nature Kindergarten early years
teachers but she’ll still attend their After School Programme!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended this nursery since he was just over a year old. I’m sad to say that he is going to school now and although I’m excited about his next move to school. I’m really sad to be leaving the staff at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten, they have been an extension of our family for 4 years now
and I’m really going to miss them. My little boy is ready and excited for school and has been given such a great experience at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten, I cannot thank them enough.

Reply from Ainsley Scullion, Customer Service Assistant at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten

Thank you very much for taking the time to leave us a review; we really appreciate your time and comments. Kind regards.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My grandson attends this nursery and absolutely loves it and the large amount of time spent outside is ideal for helping burn off some energy! The staff are very friendly and always willing to help. The kids always seem busy and happy when I do drop off/pick up which is lovely.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attends this nursery and absolutely loves it - the large amount of time spent outside is ideal for helping burn off some energy! The staff are very friendly and always willing to help. The kids always seem busy and happy when I do drop off/pick up which is lovely.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our one year old loves attending the nursery and has done from the beginning. We first viewed the nursery at the start of the year before starting in August. Although our child started during these unsettling times the staff have made it so easy for us and our child. They are very accommodating with
how flexible we need to be with my work commitments and always seem so excited to see our wee one when he arrives. We love the nature aspect of the nursery and the range of activities that they do. The food choices are outstanding and it’s always good to hear how much our wee one eats that day. The staff are really friendly and nothing is ever an issue. We would highly recommend and if we could put our child in every day of the week we would he loves it so much.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten are brilliant. They always do what they can to accommodate and the staff are great with our 2 daughters. The facilities are good and the team are very friendly. We could not recommend them more.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I absolutely adore this nursery, my little boy has been coming here since September and although is still a little unsure at drop off, settles straight away. The staff are so welcoming and friendly, and always plan fantastic activities with plenty of outdoor time.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We’ve found Dunblane Nature Kindergarten to be a very flexible and reliable nursery. The staff are nurturing and the key worker system works well. Meals are of a good variety and catering to dietary requirements are A+. Love the outdoor focus and they have a positive focus on risk enablement. What is
particularly great is that they are often changing the areas in the rooms making new creative spaces for the children to learn about and discover new things. It’s a friendly and warm reception every time we drop the girls off.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Staff at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten are fantastic. Our children are very fond of them all and always have nice stories to tell about them at the end of the day.
I feel our children are nurtured in a very loving environment but are also encouraged to explore their surroundings and learn new things
every day.
We are very happy to have our children in such a great nursery, with amazing people.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My wee boy attends the out of school care facility at Dunblane Nature Kindergarten. He is collected by taxi. The staff are fun and friendly whilst professional in their role. Lots to keep the kids busy, they are outside as much as possible. My wee one is always happy after a day there.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5

Sadly not the nursery for us after an initial positive start it became apparent the staff did not have the children’s happiness at the forefront of their minds. Ratios appeared not to be met and as such, the care of the children was sacrificed. Such a shame as if the staff were more competent they certainly
have the facilities to make it an impressive nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is a wonderful environment with a welcoming, nurturing, happy and caring atmosphere. The staff facilitate every child’s development and maintain a child-centred approach. I highly recommend this nursery!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little one has thrived since she started Dunblane Nature Kindergarten. We both love the fact that they encourage the children to explore and appreciate the outdoors. The staff are fantastic and keep us updated on her weekly goings on both when we pick her up and with the learning journals which
are a great way to track her progress along the way. They obviously really care about the children in their charge and you can see the excitement in their faces when one of the children does something for the first time. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dunblane Nature Kindergarten to other parents.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our three children attend Dunblane Nature Kindergarten, starting in 2015. I cannot commend the team highly enough. A fantastic bunch of early years educators who value the development and wellbeing of the children in their care.

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.930)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.930) out of 10 for Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 25 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 25 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 4.930 for Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is calculated as follows: ( (278 Excellents x 5) + (21 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 299 Ratings = 4.93

  • 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 Dunblane Nature Kindergarten is based on 25 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 62 number of registered child places is 12.4, which has been reached with 25 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

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Awards / Recognitions (5)

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Meet the Team (1)

Linda

Linda Boon

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2013

With a professional qualification in childcare many years of experience working with children of all ages Linda manages her nursery and staff team to ensure we provide a secure family environment where you can feel relaxed and confident in the knowledge that your child is being cared for by dedicated staff in a safe environment.