Harrowbarrow And Metherell Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Callington 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 2024. Open since 2016, 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 Cornwall
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cornwall 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
PL17 8BQWhat 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, 13 September 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are keen to come to pre-school. Staff welcome them warmly, engaging them in activities that interest them so that all children, even those who struggle to leave their parents, settle quickly and easily. The close bond that the staff and children have is evident as they talk together and share jokes. Through conversation, staff support children to express and understand their emotions as a natural part of their play. For example, children talk about a baby lion being sad because he misses his mummy.
Staff use what they know about the children well to plan an ambitious curriculum so that children make good progress. They are skilled at using impromptu opportunities to further develop children's knowledge and understanding. They support children's curiosity and extend their learning, for example, when children find creatures outside and when they spot a lawnmower going past, helping them to gain knowledge of the world around them.
Staff have clear expectations of children's behaviour. They give children time to attempt to resolve conflicts themselves and encourage children to use words to resolve situations. Children independently use timers for taking turns on the bikes, which supports them in understanding rules and fairness. As a result, children behave well.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide consistent support for children to develop their fine motor skills.
- 13 September 2024Good
- 22 November 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Harrowbarrow And Metherell 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.