Little Nightingales Day Nursery
Good★ 4.7 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in St. Albans for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2007, with 48 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
AL2 1BGWhat 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, 9 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children show happiness across the setting. They enjoy a home-from-home experience provided by adults who give warm and nurturing care. The manager has created a curriculum that supports children well. They make consistent progress during their time at the setting. Children enjoy a range of experiences that support language and communication. They enjoy singing familiar rhymes and songs. They delight in listening to stories. Staff know the children well and understand what they enjoy and what they already know and can do. They plan a variety of experiences for children that build on this. For example, children made craft homes for the three little pigs as they had been learning about families and homes and wanted to extend their ideas.
Children have a good understanding and respect for nursery rules. They show respect for others and listen well to instruction. They enjoy their learning and show positive attitudes. Older children show perseverance in tasks. Activities keep children engaged for periods of time. They often return to the same activities.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have not been entering the setting. The manager has made sure that communication has remained effective.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop the way that periods of transition are organised to ensure that children remain engaged in experiences that continually support their learning and development.
- 9 November 2022Good
- 6 March 2017Good
- 15 October 2012Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Nightingales 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.