Mary Godwin Under Fives
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Cheltenham for children from birth to 5, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 July 2022. Open since 1993, with 14 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
GL51 9QSWhat 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 July 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are provided with ample opportunities to build on their developing physical skills at this setting. The manager and staff recognise the importance of improving children's muscle strength and coordination. For example, children begin to throw pine cones to see how high they can throw. The manager follows this interest and provides the children with a variety of balls. Some balls have tails, some are small and some are larger. Children explore the flight and force needed to throw different objects. The manager encourages children to think about what makes the objects go so far and asks, 'Why does that not fly very high?' Children develop their fine motor skills as they balance small marbles on golf tees which are stuck into a cardboard box. This builds on children's hand-to-eye coordination and strengthens their finger muscles. Children develop their core strength as they dance, climb, balance, run and jump in the fresh air. This setting promotes children's physical skills very well.
Staff ensure that children learn to value and broaden their awareness of others.
Staff help children to challenge stereotypes. For example, they explore a story about a boy who wants to be a mermaid. The setting introduces powerful themes through the stories. Children are encouraged to develop a good sense of personal identity. The manager and staff focus on children's self-esteem, play skills and communication and language. Children are supported to negotiate and solve minor conflicts by themselves. Their behaviour is good. Staff supervise children well and ensure that they are safe.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- allow children more time to reflect and make mistakes so that they build on their creative problem-solving skills n enhance the planning of activities to provide greater challenge for the most able children to make the best possible progress in their learning.
- 1 July 2022Good
- 12 September 2016Good
- 7 September 2012Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Mary Godwin Under Fives
- 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.