Overton Playgroup
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Basingstoke for children from birth to 8+, open 08:45 to 15:15, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in September 2022. Open since 1979, with 33 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 Hampshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hampshire 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
RG25 3HSWhat 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, 27 September 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Young children who are very new to the setting make outstanding progress.
Children rapidly form positive relationships with adults and each other. The strengths of these relationships mean children settle exceptionally quickly and are highly confident to communicate with others. Children and adults share books with wonder. For example, children discover new books and eagerly point out the different characters. They use gesture, facial expression and their developing language to share the excitement of the story with adults. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are able to share and cooperate with each other. They participate in small-group activities with maturity, waiting patiently for their turn, attentive to what others have to say. They attend vibrant circle time activities for extended periods, eager to participate in the action.
Children navigate outside play equipment with great skill. Staff closely observe as children use coordinated movements to grip handlebars and clamber up steep steps leading to a large slide. They show stability and confidence that is advanced for their age. Children support each other to fully engage in activities. They use chalk to draw around the shape of adults on the ground, allowing each other to take the lead or working together to complete a chalked outline. Children offer encouragement with words and laughter that motivates them to keep trying. They stand back and admire their efforts with glee.
- 27 September 2022Outstanding
- 18 October 2016Outstanding
- 17 July 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Overton 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.