Play Pals Childcare
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Wigan for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2023. Open since 2017, with 43 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 Wigan
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wigan 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
WN2 5QEWhat 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, 12 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children's beaming smiles show they are happy in this small and welcoming setting. They arrive cheerfully, full of enthusiasm to play and learn. Children notice letters in their name and form some recognisable words. They have good fine motor control. Children use a pincer grasp to hold a pencil and artistically sketch a still life bunch of flowers. Younger children make marks in coloured sand using the wheels of toy vehicles. They develop small finger muscles through activities such as threading beads onto laces. Early writing development is well supported by staff.
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children understand the nursery rules and know what is expected of them. They eagerly ask staff for a
'rainbow challenge' to complete their rainbow chart. Once accomplished, children are awarded with a colour of the rainbow for their efforts. Children wait patiently for a free place at the snack table. They require no prompting to wash their hands, prior to sitting down for a bite to eat. Children stop and listen for the next instruction when they hear the tambourine cymbals. They helpfully tidy away the toys before lining up to go out to play. Children behave very well.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help all staff to focus more precisely on the sequential skills that individual children need to learn n provide more consistent messages around healthy lifestyles.
- 12 July 2023Good
- 3 May 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Play Pals Childcare
- 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.