Bacton Under Fives
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Stowmarket for babies from 3 months up to school age, open 07:45 to 17:30, 5 days a week. £8.35 an hour for 0-2 years, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2024. Open since 1979, with 50 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
51 weeks a year, price list dated 2026/2027 w.e.f 6th April 2026.
| Age | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 yearsbirth to 2y | £8.35Buds – Aged 0-2 years | |
| 2-3 years2y to 3y | £7.45Seedlings - 2 -3 years | |
| 3-4 years3y to 4y | £7.00Acorns room - 3-4 years |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £1.00 to £2.00 a session charge for snacks and consumablesper am./p.m.
- £3.50 hot lunchfor children of school age who wish to attend during the holidays
- £5.00 to £10.00 LATE COLLECTION FEEfirst 10 minutes
Funded hours
Funding for 2 year olds and the 15 or 30 hour preschool grants.
Worth knowing. Government funded sessions between the hours of 9am-4pm for 38 weeks of the year. It may be possible to stretch your funding over the year by prior written agreement if we have availability. (4 weeks at 50% holiday rate on usual fees when booked in advance – 4 weeks minimum notice.).
What childcare usually costs in Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk 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
IP14 4LLWhat 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.
- 24 July 2023 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 17 October 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children eagerly wave goodbye to their parents when greeted by the incredibly nurturing staff who know the children and parents so well. Staff have worked hard since their last inspection, to provide stimulating and engaging indoor and outdoor learning environment. They ignite children's fascination with the world around them. Neutral tones contribute to a calming atmosphere and the environment is now organised in a way that meets the needs of all children. Staff provide resources and activities around their interests, which means children are highly motivated and curious learners. Children enjoy dressing up as their favourite book character, joyously expressing themselves to music and making friendships.
Children are receiving consistently good-quality learning experiences across the nursery. A robust key-person system and regular assessments, means staff are effectively planning for children's individual next steps in learning. For instance, babies and children have endless opportunities to develop their physical skills.
Through sensory activities, such as play dough and filling and pouring water into different containers, they develop strength in their hands to support their early writing skills. Children are extremely well-behaved. Staff consistently implement strategies to support their understanding of daily routines. When staff shake the tambourine, children stop and listen because they know what is expected of them.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build on already good teaching and help staff to consider the arrangements for group activities to ensure all children remain focused and fully engaged in their learning n support staff to deliver consistent mealtime routines that encourage children's independence in managing their self-care needs.
- 17 October 2024Good
- 30 November 2023Needs improvement
- 19 June 2023Inadequate
- 31 October 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 4 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bacton Under Fives
- 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.
- Is £8.35 an hour still the rate? 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.