Rathlee Nursery School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in St. Helens for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 January 2023. Open since 2007, with 38 places.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
WA10 3HXWhat 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.
- 18 December 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 12 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. They are welcomed with hugs and reassurance from caring staff. This helps children to feel safe and secure in the warm and nurturing nursery.
Children are well behaved. Staff praise younger children for their acts of kindness towards babies as they retrieve bottles. They celebrate children's achievements as they persist in challenging activities. Older children eagerly respond as they are given clear instructions to place items back in their correct place. As a result, children are respectful of others and are developing their confidence.
Children enjoy a wide variety of exciting activities and experiences that provide them with endless opportunities for learning. Younger children enjoy activities that stimulate their senses as they touch and explore different textures. They show fascination and an eagerness to learn more. Staff set up activities that capture children's attention and reflect their current interests, such as dinosaurs. Older children strengthen their hand and finger muscles as they use a range of tools in the sand. They enjoy dressing up as different characters, such as doctors and pirates. This helps to support their early writing skills and extends their imagination.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to identify when to step back during child-led activities so that children can explore and experiment with their own ideas, particularly in young children's pretend play n provide children with more time to think about and respond to the questions that staff ask them.
- 12 January 2023Good
- 31 May 2017Good
- 24 April 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Rathlee Nursery School
- 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.