Dandelions Community Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Basingstoke for children from birth to 5, open 08:30 to 15:30, 5 days a week. £6.50 an hour for 2 Years, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2004, with 26 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Years2y to 3y | £6.502 Years | |
| 3-4 Years3y to 4y | £6.203-4 Years |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £3.65 a session Early Start
- £3.65 a session School Offer
- £5.50 to £7.30 a session Early Start/Late Finish
What a funded hour still costs
Funded hours cover the childcare. These are charged alongside them.
- £3.50 a week Up to 10 hours per weekonly charged to those children receiving government funding and not
- £6.75 a week 10 - 20 hours per weekonly charged to those children receiving government funding and not
- £10.00 a week 20 - 30 hours per weekonly charged to those children receiving government funding and not
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
Worth knowing. Consumables charge added to invoice based on total hours attended, only for children receiving government funding and not paying the hourly rate; option to opt out to be discussed with the Manager.
What childcare usually costs in Hampshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hampshire 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
RG22 4USWhat 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.
- 14 July 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 14 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and settled. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and have formed good relationships with all staff. Children enjoy a good range of toys and resources on offer, which they independently access and have fun exploring with. For example, children show enthusiasm and excitement as they play with the balls and enjoy the fishing games. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have their needs met well by caring and nurturing staff. Staff use additional funding efficiently to support children's individual needs, learning experiences and development. Children are kind and friendly towards each other and are developing friendships well.
Staff know the children well, plan accordingly for them and have high expectations to help children succeed. However, occasionally, some staff do not broaden and challenge children's interests and abilities in order to ensure they achieve their highest potential. For instance, children who are confident to count do not fully have opportunities for their learning to be extended. Children enjoy listening to stories being read to them, and they have fun singing songs. Staff engage with children well overall. For example, they provide a consistent dialogue of communication, which helps children to hear words consistently.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to recognise and use opportunities to challenge and extend children's emerging interests in order to maximise learning n support staff to recognise when to give children more time to express their knowledge, think through ideas and respond to questions asked.
- 14 November 2022Good
- 9 December 2019Good
- 24 November 2014Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dandelions Community Pre-School
- 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
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 £6.50 an hour 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.
- 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.