Playdays Nursery
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in London 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 September 2025. Open since 1999, with 44 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 Merton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Merton 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
SW19 8LRWhat 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.
- 20 May 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 24 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and confident in this nurturing nursery. Staff know children well and quickly establish secure bonds, even when children are new. Leaders focus on supporting children's emotional security. They use photos of families, mirrors and images of children around the environment to help children to develop a sense of belonging and identity. Staff play songs in children's home languages throughout the day to help them to feel pride in their family backgrounds and learn what makes them unique.
Leaders structure the curriculum to develop children's sensory exploration. Babies explore citrus fruits in water. Staff describe the tastes and textures to help babies understand what they are experiencing. Toddlers explore sand and make marks with their fingers. Pre-school children manipulate play dough, and explore the textures of different items, such as cereal and spaghetti. This helps children to become familiar with a wide range of textures, which leaders recognise as important for encouraging children to try new foods.
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They model positive interactions and encourage sharing and turn taking. Staff help children to manage their emotions appropriately, such as by using calm spaces and sensory toys. Staff support children to express their feelings with words. This helps children to learn how to navigate social situations respectfully.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the curriculum for physical development to ensure that activities and the environment are structured to help children to practise new skills n consider the timing of care routines to ensure that they do not interrupt children when they are engaged in and enjoying story time.
- 24 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 24 February 2025Needs improvement Safeguarding: Yes
- 1 February 2022Good
- 30 June 2021Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 4 graded inspections.
Still missing for Playdays 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.