Martenscroft Nursery School and Sure Start Children's Centre
Good★ 4.5 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Manchester for babies from 5 months up to school age, open 08:00 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2023. Open since 2005, with 142 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
What childcare usually costs in Manchester
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Manchester 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
M15 6PAWhat 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, 12 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at the nursery with big smiles. Staff greet children and help them to separate from their parents. They respond sensitively to children's needs and offer them a cuddle for reassurance if they are feeling sad. This helps children to settle and feel safe. Children benefit from building relationships with the staff and their friends. For example, children seek out the staff when they have made a tower with the building blocks. Staff acknowledge their achievements by responding with positive praise. This helps to boost their self-esteem. Additionally, children work together and take turns to pour water down the tube. They smile and help each other and show respect as they share resources. Overall, children's behaviour is good. They understand the boundaries set within the nursery.
Staff set high expectations for children. They benefit from learning opportunities to support their physical development. For example, older children use the small muscles in their hands and fingers as they push dough through a garlic crusher.
Younger children balance carefully along the balance beams, and the babies have learned the skill to tip and pour. This supports children to develop good physical skills, such as core strength and coordination.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the implementation of the new curriculum and planning, supporting staff to develop a secure understanding of all children's learning intentions and next steps n focus the professional development of staff more sharply on supporting children to consistently build on what they already know and can do.
- 12 July 2023Good
- 3 October 2017Outstanding
- 28 July 2014Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Martenscroft Nursery School and Sure Start Children's Centre
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Meals
- Nappies
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.
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.