Gillingham Early Years
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Beccles for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 2011, 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 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
NR34 0LDWhat 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, 17 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy to come into the pre-school. They are warmly welcomed and helped to settle in by the staff. Consistent routines, such as self-registering, putting away belongings and ringing the bell for snack time, provide a sense of security and predictability. This supports children's emotional well-being, while teaching them to follow the pre-school's rules and confidently navigate their daily activities.
Children benefit from positive interactions with staff who know them well. Children lead their play while staff support and expand their knowledge. For example, when searching for minibeasts in the garden, staff help children identify what they find.
Children listen attentively to instructions and engage in the activity for prolonged periods of time. When staff ask questions, they allow children the opportunity to recall prior learning and build on their knowledge. Staff support children by extending their language. For example, they introduce new words, such as
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen teaching practice to ensure that children receive consistent highquality interactions to enhance their learning further.
- 17 July 2024Good
- 27 September 2018Good
- 2 December 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Gillingham Early Years
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.