Little Sparkles Nursery
OutstandingTakes funded hours★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Preston for babies from 9 months up to 5 year olds, open 08:30 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 2010, with 160 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
15 & 30 hours.
What childcare usually costs in Lancashire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lancashire 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
PR1 6QQWhat 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, 8 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive in this vibrant and inclusive nursery. From the moment they arrive, they are warmly welcomed by leaders and staff who develop excellent relationships with families. Children develop a strong sense of belonging, settle quickly and are eager to explore.
Leaders and staff model exceptional calm and respectful behaviour, setting clear expectations that ensure every child feels valued. When children become upset, staff offer reassurance and use effective distraction techniques, such as outdoor play or blowing bubbles. This supports children to quickly regulate and re-engage.
Children show exemplary behaviour. They take turns, share ideas and show patience and kindness in play. During group activities, they celebrate each other's achievements and demonstrate empathy and respect. Therefore, children prosper socially and emotionally, showing empathy and respect for others.
- 8 September 2025Outstanding Safeguarding: Yes
- 13 November 2019Outstanding
- 22 June 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Sparkles Nursery
- What it costs
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.