Play Pals Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Wigan for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 July 2023. Open since 2018, with 51 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 4SDWhat 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
Staff greet children and their families with a warm welcome as they collect children at the door. Children smile happily as they enter and show they feel safe and secure in this caring environment. Key staff, who know the children well, take lead responsibility for children's care and education. These established relationships help to ensure that the ongoing use of temporary staff does not have a negative impact on children's emotional well-being. Babies develop strong attachments and feel safe and secure. They snuggle into familiar staff and smile happily as staff sit alongside them to share books and support their interests.
Overall, the educational programme is good. Children have lots of exposure to activities that help prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They are motivated and confidently use the available play materials in different ways. For example, after rolling a ball to try and knock the skittles down, children independently use the same resources to play a game of bat and ball. Children behave well. They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and an eagerness to try new things. Children make good progress in their personal development. They are well supported by caring staff as they learn to identify and explore their feelings to help them process life events. For example, imaginative role play is particularly well used to support children who have a new baby in their family.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide further coaching, training and support to help temporary staff offer quality learning and development experiences for children n further improve the curriculum for physical development to help children make the best progress possible n enhance the provision for outdoor learning.
- 12 July 2023Good
- 27 May 2021Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Play Pals Nursery
- 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.