Kiddi Caru Day Nursery, Matford Green, Exeter

Our building is designed with comfort in mind, with air conditioning, underfloor heating and a well-equipped kitchen where our chef prepares nutritious, balanced meals daily to suit a variety of dietary needs. Our purpose-built sensory room is a peaceful retreat where children can relax and explore, and yoga sessions build physical strength alongside a little mindfulness in the day.

We work closely with families to support each child’s development and wellbeing. Our GrandirUK App shares regular updates on routines, activities and achievements, and we host stay and play sessions, parents’ evenings, open days, Santa’s Grotto, graduation celebrations and support groups. Our lending library encourages bedtime reading and supports language development at home.

Children at Kiddi Caru Matford Green enjoy Sing and Sign, Boogie Mites, yoga and sessions drawn from our educational programmes, all supporting communication, physical development and confidence. We take regular nature walks around Exeter too, often heading to the nearby river where children can explore, watch for wildlife and get some fresh air away from the nursery.

Our purpose-built nursery is a safe, modern and engaging place with five playrooms designed for different age groups, named after much-loved children’s books. The building also includes a sensory room, a disability access lift, air conditioning and underfloor heating.

• Owl Room: A calm, nurturing space for our youngest children, with a balcony area for peaceful exploring.
• Peepo Room: A warm, sensory-rich environment that encourages early discovery.
• Gruffalo Room: Where children take their first steps into independence and early learning.
• Very Hungry Caterpillar Room: Designed to spark curiosity, with direct access to the garden.
• Hairy Maclary Room: Our preschool room, preparing children for reception with engaging activities and direct outdoor access.

Moves between rooms are based on each child’s readiness, with practitioners working closely with families so every transition feels smooth and positive.

Outdoor space

Our garden is one of the most loved parts of the nursery, and it is where imaginations really run free. Children enjoy a mud kitchen, a vegetable patch, a lookout tower, a walk-in sandpit, water play and natural shaded areas.

Our dedicated growing area gives children the chance to plant seeds and watch them come up, building an understanding of nature and a real sense of responsibility for something they are looking after.

Our provision supports children with special educational needs alongside every other child, with tailored guidance so nobody is left out. Strong relationships between practitioners and families are what make that work, and they are what parents in Exeter tell us they value most about the care here.

Our curriculum blends the Reggio Emilia approach with the calming principles of Hygge, supporting the Early Years Foundation Stage across all areas of learning. Alongside it we run Sow and Grow, Make and Bake, Health and Self, Innovate and Investigate, and Move and Groove, encouraging independence, problem-solving and creativity.

We believe a child’s imagination deserves proper space, and a warm room to come back to. At Matford Green we blend Reggio Emilia with the calming principles of Hygge, so children in Exeter learn through exploration and meaningful experiences at an unhurried pace. Our storybook-named rooms and garden nature walks give that imagination somewhere real to go.

Matford Green is purpose-built with a lift, so getting two children to two different rooms is genuinely easy. Siblings share the garden, the sensory room and the same familiar team at pick-up, even when their days look quite different. Availability varies through the year, so do talk to us about what a second place might look like.

Under Nicola, our Regional Support Manager, the team at Matford Green brings extensive Early Years experience, and many practitioners have been here for years. We invest in continuous professional development, including first aid training and Early Years qualifications, so the team stays confident and knowledgeable in every room.