Happy Hedgehogs Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Waterloo 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2022. Open since 2007, with 18 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 Tameside
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Tameside 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
OL7 9QAWhat 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.
- 16 September 2023 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 11 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at pre-school happy and eager to enter. They are dropped off and collected from friendly staff at the door or gate to their pre-school room. Children respond well to this. They part from their parents with ease. Children are excited to see staff and their friends. Children quickly find an activity that they want to join and settle well. They show that they feel safe in this pre-school as they move around with confidence. Children enjoy group time. They sing songs and learn about the days of the week, the seasons and the weather. This helps children to decide themselves what they need to wear when they go outside to play. Children can find their own coats and put these on themselves.
Leaders have put measures in place to reduce the spread of infection in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children learn good hygiene practices. They wash their hands regularly throughout the day. Children enjoy sitting with their friends at the table to eat their lunch. They learn about what makes a nutritious lunch box and how to keep their teeth healthy through their food choices. Staff have high expectations for children's learning. Therefore, children are ready for their next stage in learning.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide children with greater opportunities to develop their listening skills and promote more quality interactions between children and staff n enable children to follow rules and routines more independently so they learn to take responsibility for themselves and their environment n adapt the curriculum to help children better understand their feelings and those of others, to regulate their own behaviour and manage conflicts.
- 11 March 2022Good
- 21 January 2016Outstanding
- 5 March 2012Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Happy Hedgehogs 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.