Small Wonders Day Care Nursery and Enhanced Activity Centre
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 July 2023. Open since 2011, with 84 places.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
WA10 3REWhat 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 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are greeted with warmth and enthusiasm by staff when they arrive at the nursery. Staff take time to find out about how children are feeling and ask parents about what they have done at the weekend. Children share news and talk about their family with attentive staff during the day. Children feel comfortable to explore their environment. Babies show particularly close bonds with the staff who care for them. They seek staff out for cuddles.
Staff take a consistent approach to teaching children about the boundaries for their behaviour at nursery. They talk to children in an appropriate way and encourage sharing and taking turns. They discuss in detail different levels of volume in their voices and when it is appropriate to use these. Children enjoy participating in the sensory and creative opportunities that are available to them. The youngest babies explore sand with their whole bodies, developing their exploratory play skills.
Toddlers experience foam and water while learning about the seaside. Children are given a wide range of experiences. This helps to ensure children make good progress from the start.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff in how to identify more clearly what they want children to learn as they plan and provide opportunities and experiences.
- 3 July 2023Good
- 5 December 2017Good
- 7 July 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Small Wonders Day Care Nursery and Enhanced Activity Centre
- 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
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