Mortimer Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Reading for from 2 years up to school age, open 08:30 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2025. 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
Funding is available for all preschool children following the term after the child is three. Some parents of younger children may be eligible to access two-year-old funding depending on their individual family circumstances. Working parents may be able to access more funded hours dependent on if they meet required criteria.
What childcare usually costs in West Berkshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West Berkshire 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
RG7 3TFWhat 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, 19 June 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and clearly enjoy their time at this welcoming pre-school.
Children benefit from the good support they receive from staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. This is demonstrated as they leave their parents with confidence, place their belongings on their pegs and wash their hands before settling to play. Staff know the children in their care well and all demonstrate that they are making good progress in their learning. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning. For example, they relish the opportunities to explore freshly picked herbs as they create 'potions' and make 'food' in the role-play area.
Overall, children are focused and engaged as they play and explore. They demonstrate determination and curiosity as they construct with foam blocks to create towers and build with construction. Staff effortlessly support children's early mathematical learning well. For example, they help children during activities to compare shapes, count and match patterns. Children behave well. Staff support children's behaviour with consistent praise and encouragement. Children clearly know the routines as they follow instructions well and adapt to changes in routines.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review snack time to ensure that there is a fully consistent approach to promoting children's good health n build on the arrangements for staff supervision and training, to further develop their skills and raise the quality of teaching.
- 19 June 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 28 November 2019Outstanding
- 23 February 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Mortimer Pre-School
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.