Northleach Playgroup
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Cheltenham 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 October 2024. Open since 1992, with 24 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
GL54 3HJWhat 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, 16 October 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enter the playgroup happily, separating from their carers with ease. They quickly settle down and choose the activities they wish to take part in. Staff warmly greet the children and their parents, who are welcomed into the playgroup to settle their children should they wish. Children show they have formed secure relationships with staff, such as by sharing their news. They demonstrate they know the routines as they hang up their coats and bags where their photo is on display. Children engage in role play based on first-hand experiences. Staff support them well, talking to them and encouraging them to recall their personal experiences as they play. This helps support children to develop their imagination.
The staff have a clear vision for their curriculum. They plan experiences to help children gain the skills and knowledge they need in readiness for their move to school. Staff monitor the children's progress carefully. They seek support and advice from the local authority team when there are gaps in children's learning, allowing them to put plans in place to help them catch up. Overall, children make good progress in their learning and development.
Children develop a love of books. They independently choose books and ask staff to read to them, which they do animatedly to engage children's interests. Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their hand-eye coordination and strengthen their hand muscles in readiness for early writing. For example, children scoop bird food with a spoon, fill up the feeder and enjoy painting pictures.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- engage parents more effectively in supporting some key aspects of their children's personal, social, and emotional development between the nursery and home n liaise more swiftly with adults at other settings children attend, to fully promote consistency in their learning and development.
- 16 October 2024Good
- 22 May 2024Inadequate
- 12 July 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Northleach Playgroup
- 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.