Cottam Before and After School Club
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Preston for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2004, with 67 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 Lancashire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lancashire 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
PR4 0NYWhat 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.
- 7 July 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 10 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The motto of 'enjoyment, achievement and fun' is what makes this setting so special. Staff give high priority to the settling-in process. This helps children to feel happy and safe. Staff provide children with an ambitious curriculum. They use information from parents to find out what children's interests are. Staff support children's mathematical skills incredibly well. They introduce numbers, weight and size while looking at pumpkins. Children enjoy counting and singing number rhymes.
The caring and dedicated staff team goes above and beyond for children and their families. Staff have created a home-from-home environment, where children settle and flourish through high-quality learning experiences. Staff are excellent role models and support children to be independent and self-assured. Children know what staff expect of them and behave well. Staff encourage children to develop a can-do attitude. This helps children to gain positive attitudes towards their learning. For example, staff help children to think about the different ways a train track can be built. Staff encourage children to take on new challenges, such as learning how to use play apparatus outdoors. Children take pride in their achievements. They showcase their balancing skills and cheer each other on while playing football. Children develop the necessary skills in readiness for school.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- refine assessment strategies to help children to make even better progress across all areas of learning n strengthen children's understanding of people and communities beyond their own experiences.
- 10 October 2023Good
- 20 December 2017Good
- 7 October 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Cottam Before and After School Club
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.