Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries - Acton Park
Good★ 4.5 on GoogleBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in London for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 August 2024. Open since 2013, with 26 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 Ealing
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Ealing 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
W3 7LJWhat 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, 15 August 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The management team and staff provide a warm and welcoming environment where children confidently explore and make choices from the well-organised resources on offer. Staff provide effective settling-in and transition sessions to ensure all children feel safe and secure and therefore are ready to learn. Children eagerly invite staff into their play and enjoy lots of cuddles and comfort when needed. For example, babies enjoy playing with different farm animals and sensory play, exploring the different textures.
The management team and staff plan an ambitious curriculum for children. They encourage children to be curious about the world around them and introduce activities to develop this. For example, children delight in exploring different ways to melt ice, they watch in awe as they mix colours and textures as the ice melts to release their favourite toys.
The management and the leadership team have carried out improvements since the last inspection. Staff follow good hygiene practices which support children's good health. For example, children independently wash their hands before meal times. Staff have high expectations for all children. A consistent approach to managing behaviour ensures children feel valued and listened to. Children behave well and have good attitudes towards learning.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff in developing their skills on how to extend children's learning even further n give children enough time to process their thoughts, to enable them to think and respond to questions and express themselves.
- 15 August 2024Good
- 30 January 2024Needs improvement
- 7 February 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries - Acton Park
- 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.