Murdishaw West Pre-School Playgroup
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Runcorn for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 15:30, 7 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2022. Open since 1998, with 26 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 Halton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Halton 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
WA7 6EPWhat 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, 17 June 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children happily enter the pre-school and are pleased to see their friends and key person. Staff understand that as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, children have had limited opportunities to extend their physical development and emotional well-being. Therefore, staff ensure that these aspect of children's learning are focused on as part of their intended curriculum. As a result, gaps in children's learning quickly close.
Children are caring and kind to each other. For instance, while playing outdoors, they notice when their friends have dropped their sun hat and thoughtfully return it to them. Children respond, saying 'thank you', without any prompts from adults.
Children understand the pre-school routines well. For example, at circle time they sit and eagerly listen to the adult. In addition, they wait their turn to call out their own name and select the correct picture cue card for the activity. Children are confident communicators. For example, they can correctly answer staff's questions about the weather. These discussions also help children gain an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff talk to them about how to protect their skin and bodies in hot weather.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide more opportunities for outdoor play, so that children children who prefer to learn outdoors are sufficiently supported and challenged in their learning n provide more opportunities for younger children to develop their self-help skills.
- 17 June 2022Good
- 21 September 2016Good
- 26 November 2015Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Murdishaw West Pre-School Playgroup
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.