Harefield Community Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Southampton for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 June 2025. Open since 2003, with 52 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 Southampton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Southampton 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
SO18 5NZWhat 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, 5 June 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish in this warm and inclusive pre-school. Staff create an environment that is inviting and captures children's interests from the moment they arrive. For example, fun and enthusiastic staff encourage children to participate in physical activities to wake up their bodies and minds. Children joyfully move in a range of ways, such as stretching up high, shaking their arms and jumping up and down, before engaging in breathing exercises to calm and relax. This helps children to release their energy and be ready to learn. Staff are excellent role models, teaching children how to express their emotions and the importance of mutual respect.
Children behave extremely well and play harmoniously with their friends, sharing resources and taking turns.
Staff plan a broad curriculum that supports children's interests. They consider topics to run alongside the activities they provide. For example, children enjoy learning about safety and people who help us. They recall important facts about
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop further the lunchtime transitions to ensure that routines are well structured and consistently meet the needs of all children n build on partnerships with parents to share children's next steps in learning, to support them to continue their children's learning at home.
- 5 June 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 10 July 2019Good
- 24 June 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Harefield Community 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.