Walney Central Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Barrow-In-Furness for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 16:30, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 1972, with 45 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 Westmorland and Furness
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Westmorland and Furness 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
LA14 3HYWhat 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, 6 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are greeted warmly by friendly and caring staff as they arrive for their sessions. They leave their parents happily and quickly settle to the good range of activities provided. They play well with each other and share resources. Children's behaviour is good, and they follow rules and routines well. Children demonstrate that they feel safe because they are exceptionally confident in social situations. For example, babies smile and wave when visitors enter the room, while older children talk to visitors about what they are making in the mud kitchen.
Staff have high expectations for children's learning and development and support individual needs well. For example, after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns they noted that children's emotional development was a weaker area. As a result, staff continue to offer additional support to develop these skills by providing small-group work and focused activities. Children develop good manners and behaviour. For instance, they say 'please' and 'thank you' without prompting from staff. Children benefit from lots of opportunities to make their own choices and develop their independence. For example they put away their own belongings as they arrive at the pre-school, and scrape their own plates at lunchtime.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- make the most of all opportunities to develop children's awareness of managing their own safety n develop a more consistent approach to teaching children about the importance of good hygiene practises and how to manage their own personal care needs to further enhance their self-care skills.
- 6 February 2023Good
- 4 July 2017Good
- 9 September 2016Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Walney Central 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.