The Garden Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Hatfield for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2012, with 32 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 Hertfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hertfordshire 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
AL10 9JYWhat 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 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily and leave their parents and carers with ease. They demonstrate that they feel safe in the setting's welcoming environment. Children have strong attachments to staff, and for children who have just started, it is clear to see how secure they are. Children approach staff with spontaneous cuddles and go to them for reassurance if needed. Staff focus on the individual needs of the children and their family. This has a positive impact on children's personal, social and emotional development.
Children behave well. They use their 'listening ears' and 'kind hands'. Children have a good knowledge of expected behaviours. For example, when staff read a story, children remind their peers to be quiet. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management. Children understand the importance of walking inside and not running. They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.
The manager and her team are very clear about their curriculum intent. They listen to children and pay attention to what they are interested in. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of their key children. They plan ambitiously for what children need to learn next. This helps children to make good progress.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop ways to support staff to help children build a secure knowledge and use of vocabulary across all areas of mathematics n identify ways to support staff to help children improve their understanding of good health and hygiene.
- 3 October 2023Good
- 4 November 2022Needs improvement
- 21 February 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Garden Pre-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.