Bolton Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Appleby for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2022. Open since 2004, with 28 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 Westmorland and Furness
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Westmorland and Furness 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
CA16 6AWWhat 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, 7 December 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily at this welcoming and friendly nursery. They benefit greatly from caring relationships with familiar and experienced staff. Babies grow in confidence from the care they receive. Staff have detailed knowledge of their key children's needs. They swiftly respond to children who may be upset and support them to engage in their favourite activities. Children demonstrate they feel safe.
Children listen and willingly respond to routines, knowing what is expected of them; for example, they help their friends at tidy up time. Staff create a pleasant, yet busy, environment. They model how to be kind and share. Pre-school children confidently talk to visitors about their outdoor adventures. Children behave well.
Staff are enthusiastic and show passion for what children are interested in. They inspire creativity in children's imaginative play as they 'dress up' and role play alongside them. Excitement fills the air as babies laugh repeating, 'ready, steady, go' for their cars to go faster up and over a bridge. Young children happily chatter as they weave in and out of transparent easels making swirling patterns with markers. Older children gasp in awe and delight, as they investigate how to make their friends reflections get bigger and smaller in the Christmas tree baubles.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build on staff's understanding of how to further support young children's communication and language skills n support staff to consistently implement the curriculum to allow all children to effectively engage and achieve the most from their learning experiences.
- 7 December 2022Good
- 3 May 2017Good
- 14 April 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bolton Nursery
- 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.