Barlow Pre School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Dronfield for from 2 years 6 months up to school age, open 08:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. £48.00 a day, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1974, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
A full day session is from 9am to 3pm and costs £48.
One published rate. What you pay depends on the days you need and the funded hours you can claim.
Funded hours
15 hours a week for all 3 and 4-year-olds, and for 2-year-olds from eligible working families; up to 30 hours for working families.
Worth knowing. There are no charges connected to the Early years entitlement. We do not accept stretched funding as we are a term time only setting. We require children to attend three sessions as a minimum. (3 x 3 hr sessions). If using extended funding you will need to have applied for this and received a code, the term before your child starts with us.
What childcare usually costs in Derbyshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Derbyshire 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
S18 7TAWhat 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 April 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 29 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and eager to enter the pre-school. They understand the daily routines and, on arrival, they find their name and place it through the post box for self-registration. This gives children a sense of belonging. Staff provide children with opportunities to learn about the farming community in which they live.
Children excitedly take part in preparing soil for growing potatoes, showing they know how to use tools correctly. They learn about 'chitting' and preparing the potatoes ready for planting. Children recall what they have already learned about growing vegetables. They tell staff that the potatoes need water and sunshine to grow.
Children understand what is expected of them and they behave well. They play together and cooperate. For instance, children wait patiently for their turn to race a chosen vehicle over the ramps and down the track. Children develop good independence skills in readiness for school. They put on their own shoes and coats, pour their own drinks, and access the toilet themselves.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- ensure the correct language and pronunciation is modelled by all staff consistently, to fully support children's developing vocabulary n provide staff with focused professional development and carefully reflect on the impact the training has on the quality of education.
- 29 March 2022Good
- 1 July 2015Good
- 17 March 2011Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Barlow Pre School
- Nappies
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 £48.00 a day 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.