Thrive Lark Hill House
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Manchester 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2023. Open since 2008, with 100 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 Wigan
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wigan 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
M29 7DYWhat 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, 22 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy attending this welcoming nursery. Staff work hard to ensure children feel safe and secure. Children quickly establish warm and trusting relationships with staff. Detailed information gathered when children first start supports their transition to nursery life. Children are engaged and motivated in their chosen activities. Each room is a hive of activity where staff carefully consider what it is that they want children to learn. Children explore with confidence as they independently select what they would like to play with. Older children are able to express their ideas, which are listened to by the attentive staff team. This supports children's emotional well-being, as they know their opinions are valued and considered.
Children behave well for their age. Young children are learning how to share and to take turns. For example, when children create pictures using glue and collage materials, staff encourage them to share the tools and resources. Older children show kindness to one another as they help their friends put on boots for outdoor play. Staff offer clear and consistent reminders and explain why some behaviours are unwanted. This means children are learning right from wrong and developing an understanding of what is expected of them.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to understand children's communication and language development, with particular regard to the use of dummies and how these can impact on children's speech n consider the dedicated book areas within the nursery and ensure that these areas are inviting and books are in a good state of repair, to establish a love of literacy among children n continue to foster the skills of staff who are new or less confident so that they develop their confidence, knowledge and skills.
- 22 February 2023Good
- 15 November 2017Good
- 19 March 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Thrive Lark Hill House
- 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.