The Secret Garden Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Doncaster 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 May 2023. Open since 2015, with 38 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 Doncaster
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Doncaster 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
DN7 4BXWhat 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, 4 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are warmly welcomed by the nurturing and kind staff. Staff know the children very well and understand their differing emotional needs. The nursery provides a welcoming and homely feel, which helps children to settle quickly.
Children demonstrate excellent manners and behaviour as they watch and learn from the behaviours of the staff. This helps children to feel safe and secure.
Children enjoy a sequenced curriculum that is appropriate for each stage of their development. This builds on what children know and can do. For example, while babies navigate the soft-play steps and crawl through the tunnel, toddlers balance across the obstacle course. Pre-school children ride their bicycles around the path and explore the wooded area. These activities develop and strengthen children's gross motor skills to support their balance, walking and control of their movements.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- ensure that children are provided with every opportunity to develop their independence skills, especially at lunchtimes.
- 4 May 2023Good
- 18 April 2018Good
- 26 July 2017Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Secret Garden 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.