Audley and Queen's Park Children's Centre
Good★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Blackburn for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 2004, with 77 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Blackburn with Darwen
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Blackburn with Darwen from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
BB1 1SFWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 5 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy, safe and settled in this caring setting. Staff are kind, welcoming and good role models. They help children to feel secure and confident from the start. For example, staff offer children reassuring cuddles when needed. They build warm and trusting relationships and respond sensitively to children's individual needs. Staff support children to understand expectations through effective teaching. For example, they sing the 'tidy-up song' to help prepare for circle time or outdoor play. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in their setting.
The setting's curriculum is securely embedded and ambitious for all children. It has a current focus on children's communication and language and their personal, social and emotional development. Children develop increasing independence in managing their self-care routines. They demonstrate good hygiene habits and begin to understand why handwashing is important, particularly before meals and snacks. Children also develop an understanding of good oral health. Throughout the day, all children access drinking water independently, which supports their understanding of healthy lifestyles.
Staff assess children effectively across the setting to ensure that the curriculum and teaching reflect what children need the most. They quickly identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff put support in place to help bridge gaps in children's development.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen staff's interactions to support children's communication and language development more consistently n continue to develop group times so they are tailored to meet all children's needs n strengthen handover processes between outgoing and incoming key persons to enhance continuity of care and support children's emotional well-being.
- 5 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 28 October 2019Outstanding
- 26 June 2013Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Audley and Queen's Park Children's Centre
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.