# The Ark at Thomas Hall

The Ark at Thomas Hall is a full-day nursery at Thomas Hall, Cowley Bridge Road, Exeter, EX4 5AD, in Duryard, Devon. It is registered for 20 children. Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection in May 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 14 reviews (November 2026). It is run by The Exwick Ark Limited.

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-ark-at-thomas-hall-ey491187  
Last checked 4 November 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Full-day nursery
- Address: Thomas Hall, Cowley Bridge Road, Exeter, EX4 5AD
- Registered places: 20
- Phone: 01392 706665
- Website: https://exwickark.co.uk/the-ark-at-thomas-hall/
- Run by: [The Exwick Ark Limited](https://toddly.co.uk/groups/the-exwick-ark-limited)
- Ofsted URN: EY491187

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection on 15 May 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

- Quality of education: Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
- Personal development: Outstanding
- Leadership and management: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective.

Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY491187

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since September 2015 (Reference EY491187). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY491187)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 15 May 2023). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY491187)
- Registered places: 20 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY491187)
- Food hygiene rating: 5 (Very good) (inspected 21 April 2026). Source: Food Standards Agency, checked 13 November 2026 (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/815913)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: Thomas Hall, Cowley Bridge Road, Exeter, EX4 5AD

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=50.741764,-3.546646

- Station: Exeter St Davids, 0.9 miles
- 7 bus stops within 400 m
- Park: West Garth Road Park, 0.2 miles
- Park: Birks Bank Arboretum, 0.3 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.2 miles

NaPTAN, Department for Transport, checked 13 November 2026 · © OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026.

## Places and next steps

Spaces: not published yet.

In Devon there are about 3.7 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces. Source: ONS Census 2021.

When to apply: https://toddly.co.uk/when-to-apply-for-nursery

## Ratings

- Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 14 reviews (as of 4 November 2026)

## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Hall School | All-through | 4–16 | Requires improvement (March 2024) |  | under 0.1 miles |
| Exwick Heights Primary School | Primary | 2–11 | Good (October 2023) | yes | 1.0 miles |
| St David's CofE Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Good; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Good (November 2024) |  | 1.3 miles |
| St Sidwell's Church of England Primary School & Nursery | Primary | 3–11 | Report card (January 2026) | yes | 1.3 miles |
| St Gabriel's CofE Primary School | Primary | 2–11 | Standards maintained (December 2024) | yes | 1.4 miles |
| Stoke Hill Junior School | Primary | 7–11 | School remains Good (February 2023) |  | 1.5 miles |
| Stoke Hill Infant and Nursery School | Primary | 3–7 | Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Good; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Good (February 2025) | yes | 1.5 miles |
| Exeter Cathedral School |  | 3–13 |  | yes | 1.6 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [The Exwick Ark](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-exwick-ark-ey466130) | Good |  |  | 0.7 miles |
| [Little Explorers Day Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/little-explorers-day-nursery-2502286) | Report card Mar 2026 |  |  | 1.0 miles |
| [Tops Exeter](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/tops-exeter-2804980) | Good |  |  | 1.0 miles |
| [St David's Hill Playgroup](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/st-davids-hill-playgroup-ey419777) | Outstanding |  |  | 1.1 miles |
| [Adventurers](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/adventurers-2817915) |  |  |  | 1.2 miles |
| [Tic Tocs Day Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/tic-tocs-day-nursery-2688811) | Good |  |  | 1.2 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is The Ark at Thomas Hall's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated The Ark at Thomas Hall Outstanding at its inspection on 15 May 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

### How many children can The Ark at Thomas Hall take?

The Ark at Thomas Hall is registered with Ofsted for up to 20 children at any one time.

### Who runs The Ark at Thomas Hall?

The Ark at Thomas Hall is run by The Exwick Ark Limited, which runs 4 nurseries.

### What is the nearest station to The Ark at Thomas Hall?

Exeter St Davids is the nearest station we know of, 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

### How do I contact The Ark at Thomas Hall?

You can call 01392 706665 and visit exwickark.co.uk.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY491187)
- Rating and review themes: Google, as of 4 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=The+Ark+at+Thomas+hall&query_place_id=ChIJMZyoGaGlbUgRGgho6snFlx4)
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools, as of 4 November 2026 (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.