New Ark Play Association
Good★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Peterborough for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 1995, with 40 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 Peterborough
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Peterborough 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
PE1 5LZWhat 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, 12 May 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are confident, articulate and friendly. They enjoy participating in a wide range of activities available to them at this unique provision. For example, they learn about animal care at the on-site farm, nature and exploration at the ecocentre and managing risks on play equipment in the extensive outdoor area.
Parents also appreciate how much these activities benefit all aspects of their children's development.
Children show confidence and familiarity with the new routines put in place to promote their safety and welfare during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to identify and effectively use more spontaneous opportunities to further challenge older, more-capable children and to help children consolidate skills that staff have already identified as needing further development.
- 12 May 2021Good
- 3 March 2020Needs improvement
- 2 May 2013Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for New Ark Play Association
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.