The Park Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Runcorn for children from birth to 5, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2023. Open since 2006, with 43 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 Halton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Halton 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
WA7 4SQWhat 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, 23 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy when they arrive at the nursery and separate easily from parents. Staff greet them with a friendly smile. They introduce children to the activities for the day and provide lots of opportunities for them to learn and explore. Babies enjoy sharing their favourite songs and rhymes. They excitedly anticipate what is coming next and join in with the actions. Toddlers explore pouring and filling containers in the water area. Staff add flavours and scents to enhance the sensory experience for them. Children develop their physical skills through physical education sessions and through free play. For example, they use tweezers to pick up small items. Staff focus on outdoor learning to enhance children's experiences. Children explore lots of natural materials that help them to learn about the world around them.
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They introduce golden rules and reinforce boundaries to encourage children to be respectful of others. Staff also support children to develop independence from an early age. For example, they encourage babies to navigate climbing equipment with minimal support. Then, as they get older, children climb and move with increased confidence. They have a real sense of achievement. Parents are happy with the home-from-home care provided by this setting. Staff know the children well and share their achievements and next steps with parents.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - strengthen the use of effective questioning skills to give children enough time to think deeply to offer children more ambitious learning opportunities.
- 23 February 2023Good
- 31 July 2017Outstanding
- 4 October 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Park Day 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.