Fowlmere Playgroup
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Royston 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 January 2024. 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 Cambridgeshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cambridgeshire 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
SG8 7SAWhat 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, 16 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff's quality of teaching is effective. Children make good progress. Staff enhance children's learning. For example, as children explore the playgroup 'café', staff interact and join in with their imaginative play. They pretend to be customers, and children respond positively to this. Staff use spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning. They talk to children about food that is good for them, linking this to the food that is 'ordered' from the playgroup café. Children are kind to each other and have built firm friendships. They demonstrate that they feel safe.
Children have close bonds with staff. This is seen through the spontaneous cuddles children give, such as when they listen to a story with a member of staff.
Staff are good role models. They are consistent in their approach to helping children behave appropriately. Staff encourage children to work things out for themselves. They ask questions, such as 'How can we make this better?'. This helps children to share their thoughts and ideas, which they do with confidence.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to consistently differentiate their teaching during activities with children of varied ages and abilities - consider the organisation of mealtimes to help children develop a good understanding of appropriate routines and behaviours.
- 16 January 2024Good
- 21 February 2023Needs improvement
- 6 July 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Fowlmere Playgroup
- 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.