Holmhirst Pre-School
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Sheffield for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in December 2023. 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 Sheffield
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Sheffield 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
S8 0GUWhat 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, 1 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Practitioners create a very safe and caring learning environment. They place a priority on children's personal, social, and emotional development. Children arrive excitedly and practitioners get to know them very well. Practitioners provide lots of opportunities where children spend time with them expressing their feelings. They encourage children to express themselves freely. Children are extremely happy and content and increasingly show high levels of confidence in social situations.
Practitioners support children to develop positive attitudes to their learning. They create an organised and interesting environment. This supports children to be calm, relaxed and absorb information. All children remain focused on exciting activities and show deep concentration. This helps them to learn well. Children show enthusiasm and engagement when a learning opportunity occurs. For example, during a sand activity, they are eager to participate and help their friends.
Children ask lots of questions and share their ideas with friends to make flags.
- 1 December 2023Outstanding
- 9 March 2018Good
- 2 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Holmhirst 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.