Play Works
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Manchester for children from birth to 8+, open 07:45 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2024. Open since 2013, with 32 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 Trafford
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Trafford 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
M41 5ATWhat 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, 21 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The oversight of the provision has improved since the last inspection. The new leader ensures that staff access the mandatory training they require for their roles.
Children are kept safe and well. The leader and staff have children's best interests at heart. They focus on helping each child to develop the skills and knowledge that they will need for 21st century life. Staff are very happy and are committed to their jobs. This helps to create a settled, relaxed and calm environment for children.
The curriculum is well thought out to promote secure development across the different areas of learning. Staff find out about each child's starting points and use their knowledge to plan suitably challenging activities and experiences for each child. As such, all children including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make steady progress.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop performance management systems to ensure practitioners receive effective professional development to help them improve their own personal performance.
- 21 February 2024Good
- 17 March 2023Needs improvement
- 20 July 2017Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Play Works
- 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.