Playtimes Academy Nursery

Ranmoor House, 237 Graham Road, Sheffield S10 3GS
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8.4 3 Reviews
  • Playtimes Academy Nursery, Sheffield
Ready to enjoy their daily Playtimes!

Spark their imagination, light up their learning, propel the foundations for future excellence forwards. Discover the focus on quality, a unique way to play with purpose. Aim to ace & achieve their early learning goals (EYFS) with Playtimes Academy Nursery!

Here to nurture curious minds through purposeful play. From experienced early years team to outdoor learning spaces, discover how every child can make leaps and bounds of progress.

Ranmoor House Victorian Heritage | Built 1860–1870
This beautiful Grade II listed building has quite a story to tell.

Back in Victorian times, Sheffield’s steel tycoons escaped the busy, smoky city centre and headed west for cleaner air and leafy surroundings.
You can still feel that sense of grandeur today. The soaring 14-foot ceilings, striking leaded-glass entrance doors, and solid stone walls weren’t just for show - they were symbols of quality and craftsmanship.

Original Victorian encaustic tiles greet you at the entrance, while the former boardroom features a rare herringbone zigzag parquet floor. Add in ornate ceiling mouldings and carved Gothic archways, and you have a space full of character and charm.

Victorian architects really knew what they were doing. They designed buildings with space, light, and natural materials. High ceilings give rooms a sense of calm, natural light helps children focus and learn, and solid construction keeps spaces peaceful and quiet. Best of all, these beautiful materials only get better with age.

Today, this historic building is a place where young minds can thrive. The same walls that once welcomed Victorian families now provide a bright, calm, and inspiring environment for learning and play.
Proud to look after this special piece of Sheffield’s history, carefully preserving its character while meeting modern childcare standards - so its story can continue for many years to come.
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Funding & Fees

From £8.80 per hour

Fel Available / Flexible Hours On Offer

Contact Playtimes Academy Nursery to get a personalised quote.

Contact Playtimes Academy Nursery to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Owner

  • Playtimes Academy Nursery
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Lucy Ballington (Manager)

Total Places for Children

  • 135

Age Range

  • from 0 years 4 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

  • Christmas Week

Parking

  • Free Car Park - Easy To Access

Playtimes Academy Nursery Reviews (3)

8.4

Playtimes Academy Nursery has a Review Score of 8.4 (8.361) out of 10, based on 3 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Playtimes Academy Nursery has 3 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 3
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Date Published
  • 3
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Reviewer Connection to Playtimes Academy Nursery
  • 3
Total of 3, showing 1-3
Review from R S (Mother of Child) published on 24 April 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The care, activities and personal attention my son receives at the nursery is commendable. Lucy and Amelia truly run the show. The developments I see in my son is all because of this amazing duo. My son enjoys being at the nursery and is upset when it's time to go home. 100% recommend this nursery.
Reply from Lucy Ballington, Nursery Manager at Playtimes Academy NurseryWe truly appreciate your wonderful reflections of your experience with us, it is great to hear your son is developing positively so soon, all of which we are aspiring to achieve through our interactions, responsiveness to his needs and nurturing further activities through the learning through play techniques. Thankyou - Team Playtimes Academy Nursery
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Review from L A (Mother of Child) published on 1 April 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fabulous experience with Playtimes nursery, from introduction onwards. Lucy and Amelia are fantastic and couldn't be more helpful. They've both been so accommodating of my daughters needs and wishes doing everything they possibly can to help her settle in having changed nurseries.
Facilities and toys
are all excellent and just can't fault anything there.
Reply from Lucy Ballington, Nursery Manager at Playtimes Academy NurseryThank you for your kind feedback, we really appreciate hearing of your experience during settling in and beyond, we really want to go above and beyond to help your daughter enjoy her time and thrive in our nursery, it's great to have support in the early days, we are all truly grateful.
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Review from Beth N (Mother of Child) published on 30 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We couldn't be happier with Playtimes Academy Nursery! The staff are incredible; so caring, kind, and hardworking. They really helped our daughter settle in, making her feel safe, happy, and confident.
We completely trust the team and can see how much thought and dedication goes into everything they
do. The nurturing and supportive environment has made such a difference to our daughter, and we are so grateful for the love and attention she has received. It has been a huge weight off our shoulders knowing our little girl is cared for so thoroughly when returning to work after maternity leave.
We highly recommend Playtimes Academy Nursery to anyone looking for a warm, trustworthy, and inspiring place for their child.
Reply from Lucy Ballington, Nursery Manager at Playtimes Academy NurseryWe are really happy to be providing care for your daughter, we have loved seeing her progress through Playtimes class activities following onto nursery, and feel that she has settled in really well. Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, always appreciated.
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Current Review Score: 8.4 (8.361)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.4 (8.361) out of 10 for Playtimes Academy Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 3 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.4 out of 5 from 3 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 5.000 for Playtimes Academy Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (36 Excellents x 5) ) ÷ 36 Ratings = 5
  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 3.361 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Playtimes Academy Nursery is based on 3 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 = 3.25
    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 135 number of registered child places is 27. 3 Positive Reviews ÷ 27 = 0.111
  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 (0)

Meet the Team (1)

Lucy

Lucy Ballington

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2026

Passionate about early years, Lucy Ballington is an early years professional with 16 years of experience and a big imagination for creating magical, engaging spaces for children to learn and thrive. As the founder of a role-play centre and Playtimes sensory classes, she’s dedicated to making sure every child is curious, confident, and fully immersed in learning through play.


Known for her hands-on approach and eye for detail, Lucy brings energy, creativity, and a sprinkle of magic to everything she does—building experiences that children love, and parents trust.

Frequently Asked Questions about Playtimes Academy Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that Playtimes Academy Nursery accepts?

Playtimes Academy Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 4 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Playtimes Academy Nursery Open?

Playtimes Academy Nursery 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 Playtimes Academy Nursery have capacity for?

Playtimes Academy Nursery has capacity for a total of 135 Children.

How far is Playtimes Academy Nursery to the centre of Sheffield?

2.8 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 Playtimes Academy Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Playtimes Academy Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.