Field Lane Playgroup Limited
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Derby 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 September 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 2005, with 45 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 Derby
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Derby 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
DE24 0GWWhat 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, 20 September 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children behave well and understand what is expected while attending the playgroup because they know about the rules for working together and respecting one another. Children settle well at the playgroup; they feel at ease very quickly and soon start to explore and play.
Children enthusiastically take part in group singing and dancing time. They scream with delight as they sing and dance to familiar songs with their friends. The children copy staff as they demonstrate how to stretch and move their bodies in different ways. For example, they learn how to stand up, sit down, touch their toes and bounce on their knees in time with the music. Children have strong relationships with staff. Children are confident to explore a dark tent and hide inside with staff. They are excited to use torches in the tent and talk about the shadows they make with their hands.
Children are interested and motivated to choose what they want to play with.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- extend the supervision and support for staff to focus on improving their confidence and knowledge of how children learn n improve how staff interact with children and adapt activities to ensure they are meaningful for all children taking part.
- 20 September 2021Good
- 6 October 2015Good
- 24 October 2014Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Field Lane Playgroup Limited
- 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.