First Place Nursery
Good★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Radlett for children from birth to 5, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2023. Open since 2011, with 88 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
WD7 7GBWhat 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.
- 20 November 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 20 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy at this friendly setting. Knowledgeable staff support children effectively. Children are familiar with the routines of the setting, and this helps them settle quickly on arrival. Children engage in a range of activities linked to their interests. Children recall what they have been learning with ease. Staff link new learning experiences to familiar ones. Children speak excitedly about celebrations they have shared at home, such as the Queen's Jubilee, and Chinese
Children explore their developing physical skills outdoors. They enjoy using the bicycles and re-enacting familiar stories with support from staff. Staff throughout the setting have high expectations for children's behaviour, and children respond well to these. Children respond well to visual reminders shared by staff when it is time to change to another learning activity, and this helps transitions to be calm and happy. Staff engage in a daily dialogue with parents to pass on information about successes of the day for each child. Next steps in learning are also shared with parents regularly.
The managers and staff construct an inclusive curriculum that is ambitious for all children in their care, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They follow children's interests and plan activities in the moment based around these.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to understand the importance of allowing children time to respond to questions and develop their thinking skills n create an environment that supports children's ability to concentrate and focus on their chosen activity, with specific regard to managing noise levels.
- 20 February 2023Good
- 16 June 2017Good
- 10 April 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for First Place 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.