Bunnies Preschool (Great Ashby)
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Stevenage for children from birth to 5, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2024. Open since 2016, with 40 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
SG1 6NHWhat 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, 23 September 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children show that they feel safe and happy as they arrive. They are eager to get involved with the varied activities that are on offer. Staff gather a range of information from parents about children's care needs and prior learning during their settling-in sessions. They use this information to plan a meaningful curriculum around children's interests and developmental needs. Staff skilfully adapt their teaching according to children's differing abilities. Children rise to the challenge of independently threading and counting beads onto a pipe cleaner to create a bracelet. They form positive relationships with the staff. Children invite staff to join in with their play and smile with delight as they hold hands while walking around the garden.
Staff offer children reminders of expectations as needed, such as remaining seated while eating so that they remain safe and handling insects they find in the outdoor area with care. Children develop good physical skills. They negotiate space as they push themselves along on scooters and run and jump to pop bubbles outdoors.
Children build the small muscles in their hands in readiness for writing as they use tools to explore making marks in flour. Children are confident individuals and thrive on carrying out responsibilities, such as ringing the bell to ask if anyone else would like to go to the toilet. This helps to build on their strong sense of self-esteem. The investigation area motivates children to explore conkers and learn why pine cones open and close according to the weather. Staff frequently sing to children, which motivates them to join in. Children learn about rhythm as they tap wooden claves in different positions to the beat of songs they sing.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- refine the routines of adult-led learning opportunities to enable children to continue with their chosen play n support children to gain a better understanding of the impact their behaviour may have on others.
- 23 September 2024Good
- 20 November 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bunnies Preschool (Great Ashby)
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.