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Day nursery in Barnsley

Leap Ahead Day Nursery Ltd

GoodBirth to 8+Long established

A day nursery in Barnsley 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 July 2025. Open since 2023, with 56 places.

Call 01226 872424

Cost

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 Barnsley

£6.00an hour, typical for a 2 years old
£6.00an hour, typical for a 3 and 4 years old

This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Barnsley from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.

The basics

Places, hours and the day

Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.

Who they can take
Birth to 8+Registered from birth. Whether there is a baby room is a question for the call.
When it's open
Open all day, usually 8am to 6pm
Funded hours
Not published, so ask them
How many children
56 placesLarge for England
How long open
10 yearsLong established
Address
Village Hall, Darton Lane, Barnsley, S75 6AL

Where it is

S75 6AL
Ofsted URN 2765702On the register since 7 December 2023
Ofsted

What 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 July 2025 · read the full report

What it is like to attend

Children achieve well in this friendly and purposeful nursery. They make good progress overall from their individual starting points and are well-prepared for the next stage in their learning. For example, babies are supported to build strong relationships with the staff who care for them and develop their confidence and curiosity. They enjoy the feel of the water, for instance, as they investigate how to tip and pour it to make a wheel turn and soak their toy crocodiles. Children find out about the life cycles of different animals as they observe chickens hatch or release butterflies they have seen grow from caterpillars.

Children learn to play safely and become increasingly aware of the world around them. For example, they are proud to use simple charts to help check there are no broken toys or other hazards in the outdoor area. Staff are positive and warm role models. They support children to be well behaved and kind to each other. For instance, children work together to fill and carry large buckets of water across the playground to use to 'paint' the shed in their role play. They are encouraged to be fit and active. For instance, daily dance and 'fidget finger' activities contribute both to children's healthy physical well-being and the development of hand and arm muscle control to support their later writing skills.

What Ofsted told them to improve

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:

- focus professional development on guiding and training staff to ensure children are consistently challenged and supported to achieve their full potential throughout all their learning.

This setting re-registered. It replaced “Leap Ahead Day Nursery” at the same address, which had been registered since 14 December 2016. A change of owner or legal entity gives Ofsted a brand new record, so the inspections below may only cover the time since then.
  • 15 July 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes

Still missing for Leap Ahead Day Nursery Ltd

  • 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.

Before you ring

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.
Compare

Day nurseries within a couple of miles

This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.

Curiosity Cottage (Athersley)

Day nursery · Units 1-3, 44 Laithes Lane, Barnsley, S71 3AQ

Not yet inspectedBirth to 5Open all day, usually 8am to 6pm111 placesNewly opened
1.5 mi
4 min drive
07938550270

Gawber Preschool

Day nursery · St. Thomas Parish Hall, Church Street, Barnsley, S75 2RJ

GoodBirth to 8+07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week44 placesLong established
1.8 mi
5 min drive
07954601727

Kabuki Child Care Centre

Day nursery · Kabuki Child Care Centre, Fairfield House, Barnsley, S70 2FL

GoodTakes funded hours£69.00 a dayBirth to 8+07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week97 placesLong established
2.3 mi
6 min drive
01226 805400Their website

Pick two or three to compare.

Everything here comes from Ofsted's published childcare register, under the Open Government Licence. Ratings are quoted exactly as Ofsted gave them, with their dates. Read the full Ofsted reports · How we put this together.

All childcare in Barnsley