Mucky Pups Pre School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Lancaster for from 1 year up to 5 year olds, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2010, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Age 9 months(1 year at our setting) - 4 years 30 Hours; Age 2-3 years 15 Hours; Age 3-4 years; All parents 15 Hours.
Worth knowing. Government funding is for the 38 weeks of a school year; flexible to allow you to spread the funded hours across the 50 weeks; Any hours above the 30 hours for 38 weeks is invoiced to you for spaces booked at the cost below; We do NOT charge for consumables or snacks each day; We only ask that you provide nappies and a lunch if you are here for a full day or a morning session.
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
LA1 1TPWhat 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, 24 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are greeted warmly by staff and quickly settle into their learning. Children feel safe and happy in this calm and nurturing learning environment. Staff provide a range of interesting resources and real-life experiences for children. For example, children enjoy regular trips to the local shops to purchase food for their snacks.
There is a real sense of family in the pre-school, as children of all ages play together. Older children look out for their younger peers, and they learn from each other. All children are encouraged to independently put their things away, put on their slippers or change into waterproof suits and wellies when going outdoors.
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They help children understand the 'golden rules' and promote good manners. As a result, children play cooperatively and can be heard saying 'please' and 'thank you' to each other as they play. Children find many new things to explore, as well as familiar activities both indoors and outdoors. Staff use sensitive interactions and relevant questions to extend children's thinking as they play. As a result, children make good progress in their learning across the curriculum. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff pay close attention to ensuring any gaps in children's social skills and language development have been addressed.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- focus more precisely on learning intentions for individual children, particularly during group activities, so that all children remain engaged and can access the learning intended.
- 24 October 2023Good
- 28 November 2017Good
- 26 November 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Mucky Pups Pre School
- What it costs
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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.