Small Wonders
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 December 2022. Open since 2014, with 110 places.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
WA9 3BNWhat 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, 5 December 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and settled in the setting, and older children are able to talk about how they are feeling. They are supported by staff who know them well and understand their interests, likes and dislikes. Children behave well and understand what is expected of them. Staff use pictures and explanations to help children understand the rules of the setting and reinforce them during children's play.
Children have positive attitudes to learning, and they actively make choices about the things they want to play with. This helps children to concentrate and be engaged in play for extended periods of time.
Children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff have high expectations of what children are capable of and sit with children at their level, supporting them to be curious. For example, children mix different-coloured paints together and explore what happens. Babies are developing their physical skills and hand-eye coordination. For example, they concentrate as they carefully place one brick upon another while building a tower. Children are learning how to take care of their environment. For instance, they help to tidy up the toys when they have finished playing.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: complete two-year progress checks for all children between the ages of two and three years, to identify whether there are any concerns in their development. (by 18/12/2022)
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- monitor staff's practice more closely to support their ongoing development, in order to raise the quality of education to the highest level.
- 5 December 2022Good
- 9 May 2017Good
- 10 November 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Small Wonders
- 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.