Merry-Go-Round Under 5's
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Baldock for children from birth to 5, open 08:30 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2025. Open since 1992, with 32 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Two Year Old Supported and Working Families and also for Three and Four Year Old Working Families.
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
SG7 6PBWhat 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, 27 February 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff greet children warmly on arrival. The cheerful and relaxed atmosphere ensures that children feel comfortable and eager to make independent choices of what they would like to explore. Children are immensely confident and show that they feel safe and secure. They happily sing to themselves as they play and ask the inspector inquisitive questions. Children show a strong sense of belonging. They display their creative art work within their room and talk about photos of themselves standing outside their front door of their home. Staff capture these moments to support children's knowledge of numbers.
Leaders gather a wealth of information from parents prior to children starting. A
high priority is placed on establishing children's prior experiences. Staff use this information well to broaden these from the outset. This enables, all children to make good progress. Staff are positive role models. They consistently recognise and praise children for their achievements. This motivates children to have a positive attitude to be responsible and respectful individuals. They work together to tidy away what they have finished playing with and know to line up sensibly prior to going outdoors. Staff invest time in teaching children to be independent.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide parents with more information about their children's progress and their next steps in learning n review the curriculum and staff practice more closely to ensure all staff consistently provide more-able children with a good level of challenge.
- 27 February 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 30 April 2019Good
- 20 April 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Merry-Go-Round Under 5's
- What it costs
- 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
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.
- 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.