Dunster Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Minehead for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1992, with 20 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 Somerset
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Somerset 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
TA24 6RXWhat 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, 22 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
It is clear that children are happy and settled in the nurturing environment. They develop strong bonds with the staff team. Staff provide sensitive and timely support which enables children to foster friendships with their peers. Children show a developing understanding of what can make relationships work. For example, they offer a turn on a bike to encourage a peer to stay outdoors and play with them for longer.
Children follow the daily routines well. They confidently wash their hands prior to entry and excitedly gather on the carpet when staff announce story time. They independently choose where to play and purposefully select resources from the wide range available.
Staff set clear expectations for every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They skilfully work alongside children to provide carefully matched support to enable all children to access activities and develop new skills. Children thrive in this child-led environment. They develop positive attitudes to learning and make good progress from their starting points.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - strengthen evaluation and peer observations to ensure they are more sharply focused on supporting staff to recognise and maximise opportunities to extend children's learning across the curriculum n further extend communications with parents to ensure they all receive a clear overview of children's progress and provide more opportunities to continue identified learning at home.
- 22 March 2022Good
- 16 October 2015Outstanding
- 18 May 2010Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dunster 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.