WASP @ St. Marks
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Manchester for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2022. Open since 2007, 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 Salford
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Salford 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
M28 2WFWhat 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, 1 December 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at pre-school keen to learn. They are greeted enthusiastically by warm and nurturing staff. Children follow well-established routines to start their day, such as finding their name cards to sign in. Children who are a little unsure on arrival are sensitively encouraged to settle quickly and take part. They are encouraged to follow their interests and, as a result, engage in a wide range of activities for long periods of time. They shriek with delight as they make imaginary ice cream and pretend to be doctors, demonstrating wonderful imaginative skills.
Children have strong bonds with staff, who constantly praise and celebrate their success. For example, when children proudly show they can write their family member's names, staff clap their hands in delight. In turn, children frequently praise themselves, each other and staff during their play.
Children are taught to develop a strong sense of self. For instance, during creative play, children look in mirrors, talk about their features and paint self-portraits.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- extend opportunities for children to consistently develop and practise their independence skills n strengthen monitoring and evaluation of practice to identify and drive improvements in a timely manner.
- 1 December 2022Good
- 4 May 2017Good
- 13 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for WASP @ St. Marks
- 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.