Holy Apostles Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Cheltenham for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2025. Open since 2001, with 24 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 Gloucestershire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Gloucestershire 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
GL52 6QZWhat 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, 6 March 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy to attend this homely and well-organised pre-school. They are greeted by kind and familiar staff and quickly settle into their play. Staff plan a personalised curriculum that fosters children's independence, confidence and curiosity. They place a strong focus on supporting children to develop their communication skills. Staff engage them in meaningful and purposeful conversations throughout the day. Children show a positive attitude towards learning. They are eager to participate in group music sessions led by external professionals. Children listen attentively, understand expectations and raise their hands to share their ideas. Staff are enthusiastic and model engagement by singing along and joining in with actions.
Children are encouraged to make independent choices in their play, for example to play inside or outside. Younger children demonstrate their mathematical understanding. They match and sort shapes, build towers and count how many blocks they have used. Older children confidently gather their belongings and use
'the superhero method' to put on their coats independently. The environment is planned to support children's interests and understanding of current topics. Staff add a pirate flag to the outdoor climbing apparatus, and children use their imaginations as they pretend to be pirates. They encourage children to create telescopes and treasure maps. Children use and understand a good range of vocabulary, naming items such as 'compass'.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide children with more experiences to learn about the risks of technology use, including the internet and screen time, to help them stay safe in the digital world n strengthen partnerships with schools to ensure more information is shared about children's routines and prior learning to further support their move from the preschool to school.
- 6 March 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 15 May 2019Good
- 5 July 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Holy Apostles 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.