Play Aloud St Andrews
OutstandingBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Hitchin for children from birth to 8+, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 2013, with 78 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 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
SG4 9RDWhat 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, 2 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at the setting extremely confident and eager to start their day. They are excited to learn from the moment they step through the door. Staff ensure that the routines in the pre-school and the out-of-school club are consistent. As a result, children feel extremely safe and are confident to approach visitors, eager to discuss what they are doing.
Staff and leaders have high expectations for all children. They provide exceptional levels of challenge and support, which are tailored to meet children's individual learning needs. As a result, children make exceptional progress across all areas of their learning. Staff skilfully build on language, introducing new words as children play. For example, children sit and care for giant African land snails. Staff ask the children why snails feed on cuttlefish bone. Children delight in sharing their answers, talking about where calcium comes from and receiving lots of praise by staff.
Children's behaviour is exceptional. Younger children look up to older children, who are kind and considerate to them, sharing their toys and offering support. Staff provide opportunities for children to take risks and as a result they have an excellent understanding of their own safety.
- 2 February 2023Outstanding
- 1 June 2017Good
- 24 February 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Play Aloud St Andrews
- 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.