Once Upon A Time - City
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Nottingham for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2024. Open since 1999, with 50 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 Nottingham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Nottingham 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
NG1 1NGWhat 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, 16 October 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children settle into the nursery well and confidently engage with the opportunities on offer. Babies are motivated to learn as they practise new skills. For example, staff support their learning as they fill buckets with bricks. Staff model language and say 'all gone' as babies enjoy emptying them again. They giggle together.
Children eagerly repeat the activity and show pride as they receive praise from staff. This helps children to thrive, feel secure and develop positive self-esteem.
Older children explore and experiment as they make play dough. Staff encourage them to solve problems and think critically. For example, they prompt children to think about what will happen when they mix the ingredients together. Children enjoy using the dough to create pretend cakes and cook them in the toy oven.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen staff's interactions with younger children to help engage and maintain their focus and attention during planned group times.
- 16 October 2024Good
- 29 November 2018Good
- 11 May 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Once Upon A Time - City
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.