Riverside Nursery
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Lower Darwen for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in September 2022. Open since 2007, with 82 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 Blackburn with Darwen
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Blackburn with Darwen 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
BB3 0PRWhat 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, 28 September 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive at this exceptional, caring nursery, where they are excited and motivated to learn. They quickly become engrossed in the well-resourced environments on offer in each room. They are keen to show off their impressive knowledge to staff and visitors. Children are exceptionally well-behaved at this nursery. They show care for one another and are quick to help each other with challenging tasks. They cheer with delight as they help each other to dig out giant parsnips in the vegetable patch. They skilfully identify strawberries in the garden that are red, which means they are 'ready to eat'. They comment that the white strawberries 'need more time'. Children's understanding of the world flourishes in the rich environment of the garden. They dig, plant and water the flowers and vegetables. They rub the leaves of the plants and talk to each other about the smell of the flowers. This helps children begin to understand the natural world around them and how things grow.
Children benefit from warm bonds of affection with the nurturing staff, who are highly passionate about each child's learning experience. They know each child's interests and what they need to learn next to make progress. There is a clear curriculum intent of mathematics across all three rooms. All activities, songs, stories and interactions are richly threaded with mathematics and numbers. The curriculum on offer is individualised for each child's specific needs. As a result, all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress in every area.
- 28 September 2022Outstanding
- 28 October 2016Good
- 3 April 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Riverside 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.