Fairhaven Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Norwich for children from birth to 5, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 April 2023. Open since 1992, with 30 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 Norfolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Norfolk 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
NR13 6DZWhat 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, 19 April 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are welcomed by warm, nurturing staff. They hang up their coats and belongings and quickly settle into learning at one of the exciting activities. They are confident and behave extremely well. Staff are effective role models and have clear expectations. As a result, children follow the daily routine and feel safe and secure.
Children have access to fresh air during most of the day as they move freely between the indoor environment and garden. Outside, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they eagerly join in with their peers in the mud kitchen. They collect a variety of natural materials around the garden and mud from the digging area. They create 'soup' and 'chocolate pudding', which they share with staff. They take turns to stir the mixture and give each other instructions to collect more ingredients to make it 'extra tasty'.
The staff make good use of the local community around the pre-school. Children take part in weekly visits to a local woodland and garden, where they take part in forest school activities and expressive arts. Children are learning about nature and the natural world around them. Staff have developed close links with the local primary school. Children join in with a variety of shared activities and visits. As a result, children are well prepared for their transition to school.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop performance management procedures to identify and address weaknesses in staff teaching n provide more opportunities for children to become independent and do things for themselves.
- 19 April 2023Good
- 15 September 2017Good
- 26 November 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Fairhaven 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.