Appleton Thorn Preschool and Little Woodland
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Warrington for babies from 9 months up to 5 year olds, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2024. Open since 2022, with 30 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Universal Funded Childcare for all 3 and 4 year olds; 15 hours of childcare per week over 38 weeks of the year; Extended Funding for Children of Working Parents; 3 and 4 year olds with working parents able to claim an extra 15 hours of extended funding per week over 38 weeks of the year; Children from 9 months of age who have working parents are now also able to claim 15 hours of funding per week.
Worth knowing. Funding is allocated on a term by term basis and must be applied for by the parents before the beginning of the term in which they wish to take it.
What childcare usually costs in Warrington
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Warrington 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
WA4 4RTWhat 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.
- 21 May 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 16 December 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily and settle quickly in this small, calm pre-school in which the ethos is to place the child and their family at the heart of everything they do. As children wait to enter, the air buzzes with quiet conversations. Parents, staff and children happily enjoy chatting with each other. Children enter eagerly, and staff support anyone who needs extra comfort and time to settle. Children quickly engage in planned activities and the resources staff provide. They make independent choices in their learning. Staff expertly seize every opportunity to enhance children's learning. Children delight as they push a toy pushchair across the playroom. Staff ensure children are safe and introduce mathematical concepts such as speed and distance to children as they play. Children are keen to have a go and enthusiastically get involved in the activities staff plan for them. Children understand staff's expectations for behaviour, as they gently remind them of these, such as sharing with their friends.
Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Learning outdoors is given priority, with the aim of ensuring children have fun and enjoy themselves as they are prepared for the eventual move to school. Staff understand the curriculum, and they target their teaching and interactions to support and encourage children's learning. Any additional funding received is appropriately spent, for example to enable children to attend for additional sessions.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to consistently support the development of children's conversational skills and allow children time to formulate a response to questions asked.
- 16 December 2024Good Safeguarding: Yes
Still missing for Appleton Thorn Preschool and Little Woodland
- What it costs
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.