Ashwell Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Baldock for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 15:00, 4 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 1975, with 22 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 Hertfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hertfordshire 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
SG7 5PJWhat 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, 26 May 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are very confident and arrive at the playgroup happily. They show that they feel safe from the outset. They go to their key person for a cuddle or chat about their feelings. They play happily alongside their friends, and are kind to each other. Children eagerly help their friends, pulling each other up onto the climbing frame and zooming down the slide while holding hands.
Children make strong progress in all areas of learning. Play areas are interesting and reflect their interests and needs. Children read stories to their friends, dance to familiar songs, and explore sand and water. Staff respond instinctively to children's needs, promoting children's problem-solving, critical thinking and language skills.
Children speak confidently. They share a range of ideas, tell stories to each other and play imaginative games, such as making ice creams in the sandpit.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to judge when large-group activities are relevant to individual children's needs and interests and adapt the activity accordingly.
- 26 May 2021Good
- 27 February 2020Inadequate
- 13 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ashwell Playgroup
- 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.