Hill Row Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Ely for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 July 2023. Open since 1996, with 38 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 Cambridgeshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cambridgeshire 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
CB6 3TQWhat 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, 25 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome and settle quickly in this homely environment.
They are happy and build strong bonds with their key person who knows them well. Staff plan to ensure that children receive continuity in their care. For example, they collect detailed information about babies and young children's routines at home, such as sleep and feeding patterns and comforters. Staff remain with their key children at mealtimes and eat together. This consistent approach helps to support children's emotional security.
Children behave well and demonstrate kindness to each other. Older children enjoy having responsibility for routine tasks, such as setting the tables at lunch and helping to tidy away activities. They receive consistent praise from staff for being helpful. Children's achievements and efforts, both in the setting and at home, are recognised and displayed, further reinforcing the nursery's message that each child is valued.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance staff understanding and practice of how to help children develop a wide and varied vocabulary and model correct pronunciation of words n build on the opportunities for staff's professional development that focus more specifically on developing an expert knowledge of teaching and learning.
- 25 July 2023Good
- 30 November 2017Good
- 13 June 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Hill Row 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.