Penguin Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Great Yarmouth for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2025. Open since 2000, with 36 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 Norfolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Norfolk 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
NR30 4DBWhat 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.
- 1 October 2021 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 23 April 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children make good progress in this warm, welcoming pre-school. Staff support them to build strong bonds and settle into the daily routine with ease. Children make steady progress and grow in confidence, ready for the next stage of their learning, including starting school. Staff know each child's interests and abilities well. They use this knowledge to plan activities that develop children's learning step by step. Small-group memory games that staff plan help enhance children's short-term memory and recall abilities. Both of these are important for learning. In addition, games such as these support the development of problem-solving skills.
Children learn to think critically and make decisions. Staff support children to play together. As they do, children develop their social skills. They learn to take turns and cooperate with their peers. Every child receives the care and guidance they need.
Children understand the rules and routines of the pre-school and follow them well.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to develop their teaching further to embed consistency and help achieve the highest quality across the provision n continue to improve how information is gathered from and shared with all parents.
- 23 April 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 21 June 2019Good
- 25 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Penguin Pre-School
- 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.