Little Marlow Preschool
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Marlow for children from birth to 5, open 12:30 to 14:30, 1 day a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1980, 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 Buckinghamshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Buckinghamshire 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
SL7 3RSWhat 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, 30 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish at this welcoming home-from-home pre-school. They arrive with enthusiasm and are eager to explore the interesting activities on offer to them.
Children are greeted warmly by familiar staff. They form positive relationships with their peers and develop their social skills well. For instance, children share tools such as rollers and shape cutters. They discuss different ways to squish and roll play dough. Children are confident to share their ideas with others, talk about their own creations and praise their friends for their achievements. Outside, they initiate their own games and pop up umbrellas. They pretend it is raining and use spray bottles to shoot water into the sky. This helps to build on the muscles in their hands and fingers in preparation for early writing.
Children demonstrate good independence skills. They know their routines well, listen to instructions and tidy away toys. Children change their shoes as they move freely between the indoor and outdoor environments. They show an understanding of personal hygiene, independently blow their noses, and wash their hands with little prompting. Staff spend time getting to know their children. They are caring, approachable and responsive to their individual needs. All children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to gain a better understanding of how to challenge and build on children's mathematical skills.
- 30 March 2022Good
- 6 October 2016Good
- 8 October 2015Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Marlow Preschool
- 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.