Happy Days Community Childcare
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Thorne 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Good by Ofsted in July 2022. Open since 2019, with 48 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 Doncaster
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Doncaster 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
DN8 5BUWhat 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, 28 July 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy in this warm and welcoming nursery. There is an emphasis on creating a 'family feel' in the environment. Children demonstrate that they feel safe as they snuggle into staff for cuddles. Close bonds are evident as children and staff play harmoniously. They constantly laugh and giggle, and share jokes and happy times together.
Staff consistently help children to gain confidence in their abilities. This becomes apparent when young children wash their hands before snack and toddlers and pre-school children self-serve their lunch. Children assess their own risks. For example, staff encourage them to use equipment safety when using the knife to cut their fruit and praise them when they climb up the steps and slide down the slide. Children demonstrate positive behaviour by helping their peers, taking turns to access equipment and share resources.
Staff are skilled at supporting children's vocabulary and communication development. They continually talk to the younger children and respond warmly to their gestures, sounds and first words. Staff grasp every moment to model words and extend children's sentences. For example, they introduce new words into children's play, such as 'crunchy' and 'crispy', when young children explore the different textures of cereal. All children enjoy singing a variety of songs and listen intently to staff reading and telling exciting stories.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review the organisation of activities to increase opportunities for children to engage fully in their play and learning.
- 28 July 2022Good
- 30 September 2021Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Happy Days Community Childcare
- 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.