Children 1st @ Leicester
Outstanding★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Leicester for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in June 2024. Open since 2005, with 123 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 Leicester
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Leicester 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
LE2 7ETWhat 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.
- 10 April 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 20 June 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children exude joy and excitement as they enter the nursery. They beam with delight as staff greet them, and confidently leave their parents and carers to begin their day. Children immediately engage with their learning environment. They display high levels of motivation as they explore, investigate, and practise their skills. For example, babies are captivated by picture books they see on display.
They turn the pages independently and take time to absorb the illustrations. Staff skilfully enhance this experience by focusing on sounds and key words. They encourage babies to repeat sounds to support their language development. Staff throughout the nursery have high expectations for children's learning. They consistently implement the ambitious curriculum and work extremely closely as a team to ensure that every child achieves the best outcomes.
Children show respect for each other and their environment. Their behaviour is exemplary. Staff are extremely positive role models, providing guidance, encouragement and support for children when needed. This helps children to thrive as they feel secure and develop positive self-esteem. Children clearly demonstrate their understanding of how to build positive relationships with their friends as they play harmoniously together. For example, they willingly share toys and take turns when using play equipment. Older children display exceptionally high levels of independence as they confidently navigate their way through the daily routines.
- 20 June 2024Outstanding
- 5 July 2018Outstanding
- 2 April 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Children 1st @ Leicester
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.