Highbury Lodge Day Nursery
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Hitchin for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2000, with 83 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
SG4 9RWWhat 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, 3 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive at this welcoming nursery. They settle quickly, benefiting from the tailored settling-in process and calm surroundings that staff create for them. They form strong bonds with the whole staff team, demonstrating that they trust all staff who interact with them. For instance, when children transition between indoors and the garden, different staff take them to and from the areas and they eagerly go. Staff know all the children well, speaking to them about what they can look forward to playing with when they reach the garden.
Older children become highly independent through the carefully planned lunch arrangements. They set their own place at the table, serve themselves their meal and pour their own drinks. Staff hold discussions with children about the ingredients in the food they eat, showing them examples of the raw ingredients.
This sparks children's interest and promotes discussion. Children confidently share their knowledge and understanding with staff as part of their sociable meal experience.
- 3 October 2023Outstanding
- 19 December 2017Outstanding
- 7 August 2013Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Highbury Lodge Day 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.