# Northwood Day Nursery

Northwood Day Nursery is a full-day nursery at Northwood Headquarters, Sandy Lane, Northwood, HA6 3HP, in Eastbury, Hertfordshire. It is registered for 45 children. Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection in April 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It has a Google rating of 4.1 from 22 reviews (November 2026). It is run by Helen McIlrath Limited.

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/northwood-day-nursery-ey218985  
Last checked 11 November 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Full-day nursery
- Address: Northwood Headquarters, Sandy Lane, Northwood, HA6 3HP
- Registered places: 45
- Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-permanent-joint-headquarters
- Run by: [Helen McIlrath Limited](https://toddly.co.uk/groups/helen-mcilrath-limited)
- Ofsted URN: EY218985

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection on 6 April 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

- Quality of education: Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
- Personal development: Outstanding
- Leadership and management: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective.

Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY218985

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since October 2002 (Reference EY218985). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY218985)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 6 April 2023). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY218985)
- Registered places: 45 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY218985)
- Food hygiene rating: 5 (Very good) (inspected 27 April 2026). Source: Food Standards Agency, checked 13 November 2026 (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1133967)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: Northwood Headquarters, Sandy Lane, Northwood, HA6 3HP

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.619802,-0.410068

- Station: Northwood, 0.8 miles
- 6 bus stops within 400 m
- Playground: Playground, 0.2 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.4 miles

NaPTAN, Department for Transport, checked 13 November 2026 · © OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026.

## Places and next steps

Spaces: not published yet.

In Hertfordshire there are about 2.9 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces. Source: ONS Census 2021.

When to apply: https://toddly.co.uk/when-to-apply-for-nursery

## Ratings

- Google: 4.1 out of 5 from 22 reviews (as of 11 November 2026)

## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastbury Farm Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | School remains Good (February 2024) | yes | 0.5 miles |
| Frithwood Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | School remains Good (May 2024) | yes | 0.5 miles |
| St John's School |  | 3–11 |  | yes | 0.6 miles |
| St Helen's School |  | 3–19 |  | yes | 0.7 miles |
| Greenfields Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | Report card (June 2026) | yes | 0.7 miles |
| St Joseph Catholic Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | School remains Outstanding (June 2023) | yes | 0.8 miles |
| Hillside Infant School | Primary | 3–7 | School remains Good (October 2023) | yes | 0.8 miles |
| Hillside Junior School | Primary | 7–11 | Quality of education: Requires improvement; Behaviour and attitudes: Good; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Requires improvement (November 2024) |  | 0.8 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [St Joseph's Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/st-josephs-pre-school-ey497432) | Good |  |  | 0.8 miles |
| [Chickywicks Day Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/chickywicks-day-nursery-ey381842) | Good |  | 07:30–18:30 | 0.8 miles |
| [The Little Learners Montessori Northwood](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-little-learners-montessori-northwood-ey478383) | Good |  | 07:30–18:30 | 0.8 miles |
| [Little Furze Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/little-furze-pre-school-ey339025) | Good |  |  | 0.9 miles |
| [The Co-operative Childcare Watford South](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-co-operative-childcare-watford-south-ey278043) | Outstanding |  |  | 0.9 miles |
| [Woodlodge Montessori School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/woodlodge-montessori-school-ey439145) | Good | £147 | 08:00–18:00 | 0.9 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Northwood Day Nursery's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Northwood Day Nursery Outstanding at its inspection on 6 April 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

### How many children can Northwood Day Nursery take?

Northwood Day Nursery is registered with Ofsted for up to 45 children at any one time.

### Who runs Northwood Day Nursery?

Northwood Day Nursery is run by Helen McIlrath Limited, which runs 2 nurseries.

### What is the nearest station to Northwood Day Nursery?

Northwood is the nearest station we know of, 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

### How do I contact Northwood Day Nursery?

You can visit www.gov.uk.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY218985)
- Rating and review themes: Google, as of 11 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Northwood+Headquarters&query_place_id=ChIJX7GnVBNrdkgRNUSDjLcNfXI)
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools, as of 4 November 2026 (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.