Chesil Bank Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Weymouth for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 January 2024. Open since 2003, with 16 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 Dorset
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Dorset 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
DT3 4JRWhat 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, 17 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and their families receive a warm welcome from friendly, nurturing staff.
They make sure that new children settling in receive good support to help them feel secure in the new environment. Children are happy and confident as they go about their learning. Staff place a high emphasis on children achieving the best possible progress. They plan an effective curriculum tailored to the individual needs of the children. Staff plan interesting activities that encourage children to explore and investigate the properties of ice and work together to achieve. For example, children cooperate as they explore ice in the outdoor area, taking turns to remove the ice from different insect moulds. They excitedly talk about what they have found, such as a butterfly and bees. They build good relationships with the staff and the other children. Newer children are confident in seeking reassurance as they explore the wooden structures in the garden. Children's behaviour is good.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported by the dedicated staff team. The staff work closely with other professionals to make sure children have the best possible start in their learning and education. Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are welcomed into the setting, and staff provide opportunities to talk to them at drop-off and collection times.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- include parents more in their children's learning, so they are aware of any changes to their child's key person and can support any continued learning at home, to provide children with more consistency in their experiences.
- 17 January 2024Good
- 16 May 2018Good
- 10 June 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Chesil Bank Pre School
- 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.