Hertford Barns

Hertford Barns, Cole Green, Hertford SG14 2NL
Review Us
9.9 104 Reviews
  • Hertford Barns, Hertford
Hertford Barns provides a warm and welcoming environment where each child's individual needs are prioritised and their interests nurtured.

The nursery is located in the quiet countryside against the beautiful backdrop of the Hatfield Estate. The purpose-built facilities benefit from the calm and safe green spaces surrounding it, offering plenty of fresh air.

Children benefit from age-appropriate gardens which furthers their social, emotional and physical development.

The highly trained staff support each child to reach their potential with activities designed in line with EYFS principles.

Hertford Barns also offer the extracurricular activity of Tiny Mites for under twos and Yoga Mites for over twos on alternate Tuesdays.
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Funding & Fees

Contact Hertford Barns to get a personalised quote.

Contact Hertford Barns to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Jenny Pratt (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 39

Total Places for Children

  • 90

Age Range

  • from 0 years 2 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Inset Days

Parking

  • Free parking is available onsite.

Hertford Barns Reviews (104)

9.9

Hertford Barns has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.927) out of 10, based on 46 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Hertford Barns has 104 reviews.

Overall Experience
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  • 9
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Date Published
  • 104
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  • 46
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Reviewer Connection to Hertford Barns
  • 93
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Total of 104, showing 1-20
Review from E L (Mother of Child) published on 22 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son started at Hertford Barns last summer and we've had a really positive experience so far. The settling-in process was very thorough and supportive as it did take our son quite a while to settle but the staff were amazing and helped make the transition much smoother for both our child and us.


The nursery itself is very spacious, with a great amount of outdoor space for the children to explore and enjoy which was really important to us.


I would recommend to any local families looking for a nursery for their child.

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Review from Lauren K (Mother of Child) published on 20 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been at Hertford Barns for almost a year now and I can honestly say we made the best choice selecting this nursery. I have the utmost trust in the care, compassion and dedication to each child that Hertford Barns provides. There is always a warm welcome from reception and staff in the classrooms
and there is always a big smile on my son's face from arriving to leaving every day! All the staff are very attentive and he has a great relationship with many of the classroom assistants as well as his key workers which is testament to their care. I love the updates we get from their day, in particular the amount of outdoor time and freedom they have, especially visits with the animals! If there have ever been any worrying moments, especially at the start with settling sessions or when my son has been poorly the team have been so supportive and great at giving advice and extra check ins. We couldn't be happier for this to be the place he learns and grows, what a special place!
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Review from Suzy H (Mother of Child) published on 22 December 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been at Hertford Barns for just under a year and I am pleased to say we have had a positive experience from the outset. The team were really supportive from the beginning with settle sessions to get him used to the nursery environment and were also great at keeping in contact with me in the
first couple of weeks to settle my nerves too! Throughout this year I have watched my son gain confidence and learn new skills through the range of activities offered in his class and I've really enjoyed seeing him build new relationships especially with his key worker and other children in his class. One of the things that attracted me to the nursery was the amount of outdoor space each class had access to and its been lovely to see my son make use of this space regularly as well as the excitement of the ducks & sheep who come to visit too! Overall I couldn't recommend Hertford Barns enough if you want a supportive & friendly environment where your child's development is prioritised.
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Review from Sophie E (Mother of Child) published on 17 December 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Hertford barns is just wonderful! My daughter has been there for 9 months and has loved every minute.The staff are all so friendly and approachable and the settings of the nursery is just amazing! Highly highly recommend!
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Review from Victoria M (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My 2 year old daughter loves Hertford Barns Nursery! She really enjoys all the activities and always seems happy and settled when I drop her off and pick her up. The staff are so caring and attentive. They always take the time to talk me through her day and share lovely little details about what she's
been up to, which means a lot since she's still too young to tell me herself. I also really appreciate the variety and quality of the menu, it's great to see such healthy and balanced meals being offered. We're so happy with the nursery and couldn't ask for a better place for her to grow and learn :)
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Review from L T (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Choosing the right nursery was one of the most important decisions to us, and Hertford Barns truly exceeded our expectations.


The staff are exceptionally attentive and in tune with the individual needs of each child and family.


From day one, it was clear that our child's safety and wellbeing were

genuinely their top priorities. We were especially concerned about mealtimes before starting, as our child was under a year old when he first attended and the staff were incredibly reassuring and alleviated any anxious feelings we had as new parents.


The nursery's menus are fantastic, homemade, nutritious, and thoughtfully planned, which really stood out to us as parents who are very passionate about our child's nutrition.


We've also really appreciated the regular opportunities to touch base with our child's key workers. Whether a quick chat at drop-off or parents evenings, this ongoing communication has been so valuable in helping us stay connected to our child's day to day.

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Review from N W (Mother of Child) published on 30 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Hertford Barns has been amazing. It has a warm, welcoming atmosphere and lovely outdoor space. Our daughter has been well looked after and it was so nice to see her happy face at a pick up every day. The management is also good. They always come straight back if we make any queries. We are sadly leaving
Hertford Barns due to relocation, but we would have definitely stayed if not.
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Review from M K (Mother of Child) published on 22 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All of the Hertford Barns staff are absolutely brilliant. My daughter was there for 3 and a half years and she's leaving there a strong, beautiful and intelligent little girl. I couldn't have raised her to be what she is without all of you. I'm absolutely grateful to every single person. Communication
throughout the years was always on point and no issue went unaddressed.
I would highly recommend
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Review from Jenny B (Mother of Child) published on 18 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Hertford Barns is a wonderful nursery. My eldest child has sadly just left to go to school after 2.5 years and my other child has been there for 18 months. The staff are so welcoming, supportive and friendly and take a genuine interest in the child. The environment is very nurturing and there is a focus
on learning and developing school ready and life skills. My children also love the outside space, feeding the sheep and ducks and playing in the mud.
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Review from Josh T (Father of Child) published on 5 August 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Hertford Barns is an amazing nursery, in a great location and the staff are super friendly and welcoming. We love how much time the kids get to spend outside, interacting with animals and have lots of great activities daily. They keep a close eye on our child's development and support them in their
learning. We had challenges with our son settling at first, but the nursery could not have handled the situation any better with extra time, patience and settle in sessions. Our son is always happy to attend and turns up excited for what is in store for the day.
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Review from Charlotte W (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are so very sad to be leaving Hertford Barns due to relocating. If we could scoop them up and take them with us we absolutely would. My daughter has been attending for the last 2.5 years and her care, support, tuition and enjoyment has been exceptional. I would highly recommend to everyone.
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Review from Poppy R (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started when he 18 months and is now 3, it took time for him to settle initially but with the help of his lovely key person he settled in and now he waves goodbye or doesn't even look back. Overall I have been very impressed with Hertford Barns, my son has thoroughly enjoyed his time there. He
is outside majority of the day playing which I love and so does he and is so well looked after by the lovely staff. The staff are so friendly and enthusiastic and the facilities are fantastic and I like the concept of play and learning for the children. Thank you so much to everyone and especially all in the Butterflies room.
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Review from Christina M (Mother of Child) published on 22 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Hertford barns is a beautiful setting with excellent facilities and access to outdoor spaces and at times farm animals. The staff are all very welcoming and all get involved with working with your child each day. My son's key people work closely with him to develop a range of different skills which
they update you with regularly as well as photographs to show what activities they have been taking part in. My son is really happy to go to nursery and the staff do a great job to settle him if he becomes upset. He always loves his days there and I believe he gets looked after really well during the day. The staff are able to give information at the end of each day on how they've got on and what they ate and if they napped which is very useful. We are very happy with the service so far, our son has attended for nearly a year now and we plan on keeping him here for the foreseeable future! He will also be moving up rooms soon which I'm sure he will find very exciting!
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Review from G L (Mother of Child) published on 10 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Hertford Barns since February this year and we have nothing but good things to say. He loves his days there and the staff are always supportive, caring and attentive to both him and us as parents.
The food is varied and nutritious, he has learnt lots already and we always feel
like his needs are met. We are sure he will continue to thrive there as he grows and moves through the rooms.
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Review from Sarah P (Mother of Child) published on 19 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended Hertford Barns since she was 9 months old and she is now 2 and a half. We have been so impressed with the nursery, every member of staff is attentive and have been such good mentors to our daughter. Thank you so much Hertford Barns!
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Review from Jemma P (Mother of Child) published on 11 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started at the nursery shortly after he turned 1 and has been there for nearly a year. I viewed other nurseries before Hertford Barns and as soon as I saw it I knew I didnt want him to go anywhere else. It is such a beautiful nursery with great facilities. I like that it has a country feel with
great outside space, they have lambs in the spring which the children love and recently they had ducklings in the reception which have since grown up and been moved outside.
All of the staff are very friendly and approachable and my son always gets a warm welcome from everyone. They give me updates at the end of every day and always advise how much fun my son has had. They also post pictures on an app so I can see him playing.
I also appreciate the meals they provide, the menu looks great and has helped him explore different foods.
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Review from Kim B (Mother of Child) published on 5 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves attending this nursery!
Absolutely excellent nutrition and menu provided for the children, I always know he has eaten well.
Staff are brilliant, welcoming and friendly.
Outdoor space is great and the children are able to enjoy lambs, ducks and sheep in the spring/summer.
Parking and
general access for parents is good as is the safety/security for the children.
*****
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Review from Susana B (Mother of Child) published on 5 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been attending Hertford Barns for nearly a year now, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. She absolutely loves going in each day, which as a parent is incredibly reassuring.


The staff are consistently warm, friendly, and genuinely thoughtful in all their interactions with

her. They've been wonderfully accommodating of her special needs, always ensuring she feels supported and included. Communication with us as parents is regular and clear, which we really appreciate.


The activities planned are not only fun and engaging but also thoughtfully designed to be educational and developmentally enriching. It's clear that a lot of care and intention goes into creating a nurturing and stimulating environment.


Overall, we truly believe Hertford Barns is a fantastic place, and we're so grateful to have found it. Highly recommended!

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Review from Amy O (Mother of Child) published on 5 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Such a fantastic environment for my child to learn, prosper and grow. Lots of activities she wouldn't get to do at home and has access to lots of outdoor space. The staff are wonderful and are very complementary of my child's development. Couldn't think of a better place for my child to start her education
journey.
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Review from Sherree W (Mother of Child) published on 3 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been sending our son to Hertford Barns for over two years now and since day one every single member of staff has been outstanding.


The nursery itself is beautiful and the teams work so hard to give the children a variety of activities through the week. The support we have received for our

son and as parents has been incredible and we really value all of the feedback they have about his development.


I could not imagine sending him anywhere else - the exposure to nature and the outdoor space that Hertford Barns offers exceeds any other nursery we have visited in the area. We feel so lucky that we have been able to give our son the opportunity to be in such a wonderful environment to learn and thrive in, and there isn't a single criticism I could make about the building or staff.

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.927)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.927) out of 10 for Hertford Barns is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 46 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 46 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.927 for Hertford Barns is calculated as follows: ( (512 Excellents x 5) + (38 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 551 Ratings = 4.927
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Hertford Barns is based on 46 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 90 number of registered child places is 18, which has been reached with 46 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (18)

Meet the Team (1)

Jenny

Jenny Pratt

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2008

Jenny is the Manager of the award-winning Hertford Barns Day Nursery and has a wealth of experience, having worked in the Early Years sector for 17 years. Jenny has numerous qualifications, including a Level 2, 3 and 4 in Childcare and has worked at Childbase for 15 years.


What is your favourite feature of Hertford Barns?
My favourite feature is the beautiful setting of our nursery; we benefit from such fantastic outdoor space, and our rooms are beautiful yet functional for an Early Years setting.


What are you most proud of about your nursery/team?
I am so proud of my staff team and their ability to build strong bonds with our families and children. The nurture and care they give their children is outstanding. We are also a growing nursery, so having the ability to be able to adapt to all the changes has been key to building our successes.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hertford Barns

What is the Age Range of Children that Hertford Barns accepts?

Hertford Barns accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Hertford Barns Open?

Hertford Barns is open: Monday 07:30-18:30, Tuesday 07:30-18:30, Wednesday 07:30-18:30, Thursday 07:30-18:30, Friday 07:30-18:30.

How many Children does Hertford Barns have capacity for?

Hertford Barns has capacity for a total of 90 Children.

How far is Hertford Barns to the centre of Hertford?

3.0 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Hertford Barns to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Hertford Barns has an Enhanced Service - more info.