Highview Baby Unit
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Skelmersdale for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in August 2022. Open since 1996, 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 Lancashire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lancashire 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
WN8 0DXWhat 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, 4 August 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive personalised care from practitioners who are highly sensitive to their needs. They form close and loving bonds with practitioners, who focus on helping them to thrive. Children feel safe and content in an environment that supports their care routines very well. For example, the unit has dedicated areas for feeding, sleeping and for meeting children's personal care needs. As a result, their personal and emotional needs are nurtured well and they are starting to understand what makes them unique. They are able to communicate their needs and preferences. For example, they play independently with their favourite toys but are able to turn to key adults for support when needed. Children understand that practitioners have high expectations of them and respond positively to praise. For example, they join in with celebrations, smiling, clapping and cheering with amazement, demonstrating pride in their own achievements. As a result, children's behaviour is good and they have a positive disposition to their learning.
In addition, children have access to spaces that support their early learning and development. For example, they confidently access spacious open areas that enable them to develop their physical skills, such as crawling and walking.
Furthermore, children are learning the skills required to become competent communicators. They use a range of words during their play and interactions. This helps to reduce the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's social and language development. Parents express that they receive unique support that is specific to the development of very young children. They praise the open door policy, which is successful in providing them with reassurance and guidance.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- further involve practitioners in the processes of self-evaluation, in order to make clearer their understanding of the setting's priorities for improvement n ensure that children are provided with opportunities to use the toilet in order to further develop their toileting skills.
- 4 August 2022Good
- 2 September 2016Good
- 19 February 2016Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Highview Baby Unit
- 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.