Covingham Kingfisher Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Covingham for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2022. Open since 1999, with 42 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 Swindon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Swindon 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
SN3 5BTWhat 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, 12 October 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy their experiences at the pre-school. They arrive eagerly and are welcomed by the friendly staff. They settle well and choose activities that interest them. The children get on well together and communicate confidently. For example, outdoors, three- and four-year-olds invite their friends to race after them in the sit-in vehicles. They call to one another, laughing together, as they manoeuvre their cars at speed, negotiating obstacles skilfully. Children talk avidly with staff as they create dough cakes and add pasta candles to celebrate their birthdays. They count the 'candles' correctly and talk about shapes and sizes, showing good mathematical awareness. Two-, three- and four-year-olds behave exceptionally well. They are polite, follow instructions well, take turns and show respect for others, learning these skills from a young age. Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play. They like to engage in physical and imaginative play. They recreate first-hand experiences as they take their 'babies' out for a walk and 'cook'
meals, mixing soil in saucepans ready to 'feed' awaiting staff.
The long-established staff team members are enthusiastic in their roles. They show genuine warmth and kindness to the children. They instinctively offer the encouragement and support the children need to foster their all-round learning and development.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- work in partnership with other settings children attend to foster two-way communication, to ensure children's learning experiences complement those they receive elsewhere n create a warmer, welcoming environment for two-year-olds and provide a wider variety of activities that inspire imagination, problem solving, enjoyment of books and quiet time.
- 12 October 2022Good
- 8 December 2016Good
- 18 March 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Covingham Kingfisher 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.