Lordswood Community Centre Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Southampton 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 January 2023. Open since 1997, with 36 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 Southampton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Southampton 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
SO16 8FDWhat 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, 25 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are welcomed into pre-school by a friendly manager. They enjoy playing with friends and chatting to staff and are happy and safe at pre-school. Children are very keen to learn and take part in activities that capture their attention and build on their interests. For instance, a group of children create a picture together, swirling the paints into a mixture of colours using their hands to print. Other children investigate coloured sand, scooping it up with seashells and transferring it into pots. They display good hand-to-eye coordination.
Children of all ages enjoy listening to stories. For example, two-year-olds listen to their key person read a book about transport, which extends their knowledge and current fascination. They chat to their key person about what they see, and she answers their questions to help their understanding. Older children enjoy a large, group story time. Staff choose their favourite stories to read, and children delight in joining in as they anticipate what happens next. The pre-school promotes early literacy and a love of books effectively.
Staff understand the importance of good communication skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported by knowledgeable key people. They use Makaton signing to support children's communication and the
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to further extend children's developing mathematical skills.
- 25 January 2023Good
- 31 March 2017Good
- 13 January 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Lordswood Community Centre 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.