Boxmoor Hall Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Hemel Hempstead for children from birth to 8+, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2023. 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 Hertfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hertfordshire 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
HP1 1JSWhat 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 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children's development and well-being are warmly supported by staff who provide them with close attention which is adapted to their needs. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff encourage children's development on walks in the local area. They help children to notice the features of the world around them, such as flowers in a local churchyard. Children enjoy looking at Christmas trees that have been put up locally and talk about the lights that they see around them. Staff use these everyday activities to remind children of safety rules, such as waiting for all of the cars to stop before using a pedestrian crossing. They help children to press the button at the crossing, to teach them about road safety.
Interesting activities, such as sensory play, are used to broaden children's vocabulary. Staff encourage children to explore 'magic' sand. Children work the sand through their fingers, exploring the texture. They use a range of language to describe what they experience. Children use words such as 'spongy' and 'melting', and staff applaud them for trying new language. A staff member holds up the sand. Children sprinkle it through their fingers and say, 'It's raining,', which leads to further lively discussion. Staff understand how to build children's language skills to broaden their vocabulary and give them good opportunities to use their newly acquired language in everyday experiences.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the quality of staff support for all children during times when children move from one activity to the next.
- 5 December 2023Good
- 14 December 2022Needs improvement
- 6 March 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Boxmoor Hall Pre School
- 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.