Holyrood Playgroup
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Chard for from 2 years up to school age, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 1992, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Registered for 2, 3 and 4 year old early year entitlement funding.
What childcare usually costs in Somerset
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Somerset 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
TA20 1JLWhat 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, 27 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children separate happily from parents as they arrive at the setting. They quickly gather for a story on the carpet, seeking comfort and reassurance from adults if needed. Most children are emotionally secure and those that need more support swiftly settle as the staff support them to manage their emotions. Staff are attentive to the children's needs and preferences and the children feel safe in the familiar routine. They enjoy exploring the wide range of activities on offer and demonstrate high levels of engagement for extended periods of time.
The setting provides a rich offering of resources, which focuses on language. Staff skilfully model sentences, vocabulary and sounds, supporting the children to develop their communication skills. Children engage in rich and meaningful conversations with the adults. For example, while sharing a book, children learn about different birds and their features. This supports their understanding of the world around them as well as teaches them new vocabulary, such as 'beak'.
Children behave very well and play together harmoniously. They demonstrate excellent manners, patience and understanding of the expectations at the setting.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support children to develop their independence skills when taking care of their personal needs n enhance the opportunities for children to explore making marks and develop their fine motor and writing skills.
- 27 February 2023Good
- 16 May 2017Good
- 5 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Holyrood Playgroup
- What it costs
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.