Howgill Family Centre
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Cleator Moor 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 November 2022. Open since 2004, with 68 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 Cumberland
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cumberland 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
CA25 5HRWhat 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, 22 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children develop close and secure relationships with staff at this warm and welcoming nursery. They arrive happy and show great excitement as they explore the activities on offer. Children have a positive attitude to learning and show high levels of enjoyment and curiosity, especially during the off-site activities. Staff have high expectations for all children. Children behave well. They show a good understanding of the boundaries set. For example, children understand the rules of the forest school and confidently recall what they can and cannot do. They engage in meaningful conversations and show care and concern for themselves, and others.
Children benefit from a curriculum that provides them with enriching experiences.
For example, toddlers spend time developing their creative ideas. They explore paint, paper and glue, and mix water to oats to watch how it changes consistency.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build on staff practice to help children to celebrate their cultural heritage and home language within the nursery and at home.
- 22 November 2022Good
- 29 November 2016Good
- 9 June 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Howgill Family Centre
- 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.