Nursery to open in Exeter area for year-round childcare

Families in Dawlish struggling to find childcare for under-fives have received welcome news - a new nursery provider has been selected to help ease the town’s acute shortage of early years places.

Puffins of Exeter Ltd has been appointed to run the new nursery, which will be open from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year.

The nursery will accept babies and children up to five years old, offering a vital service to parents juggling work and family life.

The new nursery will be based in the caretaker’s bungalow next to Westcliff Primary Academy, with work set to begin shortly to upgrade the interior and ensure all necessary facilities are in place.

This follows the closure of Little Swans Preschool at the same site last year, which left many local families without childcare options.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Schools, praised the Early Years and Childcare Team for securing the new provider:

“I want to thank the team for working tirelessly to make this happen. We know how difficult it has been for families in Dawlish to find nursery places, and this is a vital step in the right direction. We will continue working to increase early years provision in areas that need it most.”

Puffins of Exeter, a well-established, family-run nursery provider, has been delivering childcare services in Devon for over 30 years. Director Gemma Rolstone expressed her excitement about the new nursery:

“We are thrilled to be the chosen provider for Westcliff. We know how desperately these nursery places are needed, and we are working hard to get up and running as soon as possible. We look forward to welcoming local families and providing high-quality early years care.”

Councillor Martin Wrigley, the local county councillor for Dawlish, welcomed the announcement:

“This is fantastic news for Dawlish, where parents have been struggling to find childcare. We still need more childminders and nursery places in the area, so I hope this encourages other providers to set up in the town as well.”

Priority for places at the new nursery will be given to families living in Dawlish. Given the demand, parents are encouraged to register their interest early by calling Puffins on 01392 496017 or emailing enquiries@puffinsofexeter.com to join the waiting list.

With this new nursery in place, families in Dawlish can finally look forward to better childcare options, easing the pressure on working parents and supporting early years development in the community.