Old MacDonald's Day Nursery
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Chesham for from 2 years up to school age, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2022. Open since 2012, with 96 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Up to 15 free hours Universal Funding is available to all children from the beginning of the term after their 3rd birthday. You may be able to receive up to a further 15 free hours Extended Funding subject to government eligibility criteria being met, entitling your child to 30 free hours per funded week.
Worth knowing. The entitlement of up to 15 or 30 free hours Early Education per week is for 38 weeks, not 52 and excludes the cost of meals and consumables. Spring term – 11 weeks, summer term – 13 weeks, autumn term 14 weeks. Whilst our setting participates in free entitlement to Early Education for 3 and 4 year olds, this does not guarantee the availability of a place.
What childcare usually costs in Buckinghamshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Buckinghamshire 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
HP5 1UQWhat 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.
- 28 May 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 3 May 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are confident learners. They are eager to talk about their activities, such as when they make cakes with play dough and decorate them with 'candles' and sprinkles. Older children demonstrate high levels of curiosity. They explore their natural environment, hunting for minibeasts and finding out about their distinguishing features. Younger children show good concentration as they play games with their key person, such as 'What's in the box?' They smile as they discover hidden items, such as a star, banana and ball.
Children develop secure attachments with their key person. Young children benefit from positive interactions with them during nappy changes. These help to promote their developing communication and language. They seek comfort and cuddles from their key person after waking from their sleep time. Older children have the reassurance that their key person is nearby as they learn to using the toilet independently.
Children benefit from a range of exciting activities, which help to prepare them for their future learning. For example, they learn to persevere, independently squeezing pegs and placing them on fabrics, to make dens during forest school activities. Children learn to keep themselves safe. For instance, they learn about sun safety and the need to wear hats and sunscreen.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - support staff and help them to recognise when and how to use the spaces and resources within nursery to enable them to deliver the curriculum more effectively n strengthen opportunities to share best practice between staff within each age range and raise the quality of staff interactions with children to a consistently higher level across the nursery.
- 3 May 2022Good
- 24 November 2016Outstanding
- 9 April 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Old MacDonald's Day Nursery
- What it costs
- 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
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.