Ladybirds Nursery
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in St. Albans 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2022. Open since 2002, with 61 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
AL4 0RAWhat 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 February 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at the nursery extremely happy. Young children knock on the glass doors and wave as they see familiar staff approach. As older children arrive, they enthusiastically tell staff all about the storm damage that they have seen on the way to nursery. Children build incredibly strong bonds with staff, for whom they show genuine affection. Babies beam with delight as they take their first steps between staff, who hold out their arms for encouragement. Older children spontaneously cuddle staff and sit on their laps as they tenderly read stories to them.
Children's exemplary behaviour and enthusiasm for learning show that they feel extremely happy, safe and secure. They engage in purposeful play and are curious, inquisitive learners. Children learn to link previous knowledge when they discuss the effects liquids have had on their cookie dough. They confidently problem-solve when working out what they need to do when the dough becomes too wet. Staff's excellent use of questioning helps even younger children to predict how the ingredients will feel when making pizza dough. Children demonstrate their knowledge of weight and capacity as they fill up socks in the sand, telling adults that it gets heavier the more they fill them up. They compare, with their friends, who has the most and who has the least sand in their socks.
- 22 February 2022Outstanding
- 1 February 2016Outstanding
- 9 October 2013Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ladybirds 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.