Gants Hill Playgroup
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Ilford for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2024. Open since 2010, with 29 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 Redbridge
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Redbridge 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
IG2 6TUWhat 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, 26 September 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Leaders and staff prioritise children's safety and happiness. They provide a welcoming space, where children are cared for by familiar and nurturing staff. This helps children to settle and feel secure at the playgroup. They build affectionate bonds with staff and show that they feel confident and ready to learn. Staff plan the learning experiences around the children's interests and preferences. This helps children to enjoy their early education. They freely explore the activities and concentrate intently on the things that interest them. For instance, children demonstrate good attention to detail as they paint colourful 'rainbow houses'. They happily share their knowledge with their peers, such as showing them how to draw
Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They are patient and supportive as they guide children towards positive values, such as being kind and helpful. This helps children to understand the rules and boundaries. They listen to staff, follow the routines and play nicely with others. Staff provide an ambitious curriculum to help prepare all children for their next stages in learning. For example, staff plan a range of focussed learning experiences for older children, in readiness for them starting school. These help children to develop early literacy skills. such as pencil control, and to learn about shapes, measurements and numbers in different contexts.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- further strengthen the curriculum for Understanding the World, to help build on children's knowledge and experiences of their community and nature n support staff to plan and deliver large group activities more effectively, to help all children remain focused and engaged in learning.
- 26 September 2024Good
- 9 November 2018Good
- 5 November 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Gants Hill 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.