Wilmere Lane Nursery School
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Widnes for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 2023, with 78 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
WA8 5URWhat 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, 14 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children happily enter the setting, greeted by friendly, welcoming staff. Interactions are highly effective and support children's developing vocabulary and understanding. Staff model and support children's learning to help them accomplish things for themselves. This helps them to develop a sense of achievement. For example, in pre-school, children self-serve from the breakfast bar and carry their food to the table, where they use tongs to get their own garlic bread. Lunchtime is a very social occasion, with staff talking to children, modelling conversations and encouraging children to communicate with their peers. Staff share stories with the children. Children choose their favourite stories, and staff sit with them, pointing out characters and asking questions to facilitate children's understanding and developing vocabulary. Toddlers practise threading, posting and using tweezers to pick up smaller items. This helps children to develop their fine motor skills in preparation for writing.
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and learning. Routines within the rooms support boundaries so children know what is happening. They know what to expect and what they are able to do when. Staff make effective use of visual timetables to support this, particularly the use of 'Now and Next' boards for children who need a little extra support. Staff teach children about politeness and respect and the importance of tolerance and patience. They incorporate celebrations and events that children celebrate at home, for example Diwali.
Providers forge secure links with the local community to enhance their offer. They provide connections to local food banks and other community initiatives for those families who may find themselves in need.
- 14 January 2025Outstanding Safeguarding: Yes
Still missing for Wilmere Lane Nursery 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.