Railway Children Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Kettering 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 May 2023. Open since 2006, with 37 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 North Northamptonshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in North Northamptonshire 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
NN15 7HJWhat 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, 3 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The welcoming staff support children to feel happy and secure at this friendly nursery. Children form secure attachments with the staff, who know children's interests well. Staff provide cuddles and reassurance for babies as they look at books and sing songs together. Staff support older children to consider each other and work together as they use cushions and blankets to make a pretend bed for their teddies. Staff enthusiastically read stories with puppets, and toddlers laugh as they listen. Staff provide a varied curriculum, with a focus on physical activity both inside and out. For example, when toddlers want to practise large-muscle movements, staff encourage them to shake, jog, stretch and dance to music.
Staff support older children in smaller groups to learn early literacy, such as phonics songs. Children practise writing on the board outside, and they recognise and name letter sounds, demonstrating that they remember what they have learned. Staff teach children early mathematics skills. For example, children talk about measuring the water as they fill tubes and pipes in the garden. Staff support older children to learn about growing. Children set tomato plants in pots. Staff talk about the long roots and how to help the plants to grow.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the support for staff to recognise when to allow time for babies to explore purposeful play, matched to babies' interests and what they need to learn next.
- 3 May 2023Good
- 14 September 2017Good
- 16 May 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Railway Children 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.