Dearne Family Centre
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Rotherham 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2024. Open since 2015, with 24 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 Barnsley
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Barnsley 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
S63 8ESWhat 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.
- 28 November 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 20 March 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and families show that they feel extremely welcome at this friendly and highly inclusive family centre. Leaders and staff are committed to providing a nurturing environment and a sense of belonging for all children in their care.
Parents regularly join their children to stay and play at the start of sessions. This helps to establish strong partnership working with families. Children are delighted to show parents what they enjoy doing. Staff prioritise children's well-being. They do everything possible to seek out any extra support that children may need. This helps to ensure that all children make good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There is a particularly strong focus on developing their confidence and self-esteem.
Children have fun at the centre and learn as they play. Staff know children well and plan activities to match children's needs and interests. Children follow daily routines and simple guidelines, such as not running indoors. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children behave well relative to their ages. Staff remind children to use good manners, saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children learn to take safe risks. For instance, staff supervise children closely while they climb a small tree in the garden. Children gain in independence in preparation for their future learning. For example, staff encourage children to put on their own waterproofs before going outdoors to explore the garden. Staff model how to lay out the trousers. They praise children as they 'have a go'. Children persist in their efforts until they succeed.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support all staff to enhance and enrich their interactions with children even further to promote the very best outcomes for children.
- 20 March 2024Good
- 13 April 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dearne Family Centre
- 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.