Tuesday January 27th 2026
Duns Nursery, Berwickshire
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A community-run nursery in Berwickshire over which concerns had been raised continues to make progress, a new inspection found.
On a previous visit from the Care Inspectorate “significant gaps” in medication were highlighted alongside other required improvements.
But at an unannounced follow-up inspection in November last year, it was found that children benefited from “kind and caring relationships with staff”.
Quality assurance and self-evaluation systems had been introduced to identify how the service could be developed to improve experiences and outcomes for children.
Staff had developed in their role and were beginning to undertake leadership tasks.
Improvement was evident in the areas identified at a previous inspection.
The report states: “The manager and staff should continue to introduce, embed and review their work to monitor progress and achievements.”
The nursery was deemed satisfactory/adequate in three areas – leadership, play and learning and in allowing children to thrive in quality spaces. It was rated ‘good’ for supporting children to achieve.
Duns Community Nursery was founded in 2023 by staff and parents who feared their children would be left without pre-school care in the Borders town following the closure of a privately-run nursery.
With support from across the local community, the nursery was established and continues to operate on a not-for-profit basis.
The report states: “Staff interactions were consistently warm and nurturing, this supported children to feel safe, loved, and secure.
“Children approached staff for comfort, and they responded sensitively to cues, this demonstrated high-quality care.
“Families praised the ‘level of care and nurturing environment’ and ‘the warmth, compassion and care they receive’, reflecting strong relationships and positive experiences.”
Duns Community Nursery is registered with the Care Inspectorate to provide a care service to a maximum of 35 children not yet attending primary school.
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