Penguin Pre-School
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Fareham for babies from 3 months up to 5 year olds, open 08:00 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2024. Open since 1985, with 18 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Full range of Government funded childcare support, 30 hours for eligible working families, 15 hours universal for 3 and 4 year olds, funding for eligible 2 year olds.
Worth knowing. We accept the Early Years Funding between the hours of 9.00 and 15.00. Additional voluntary contributions of £2.00 per week will be charged for snacks. We ask that you provide a packed lunch and all nappies, wet wipes, nappy sacks and suncream that your child will need.
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
PO14 3BAWhat 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 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and excited to start their day. They are greeted by the kind and friendly staff, who know them very well. Children are supported by the attentive staff, who swiftly help them to settle with ease. As a result, children develop self-confidence and are able to quickly find stimulating activities to settle into. Children feel safe, secure and valued. This is because of the noticeably strong bond between staff and children. Staff gently encourage children to be kind, caring and respectful. As a result, children are extremely well-mannered.
Children flourish at the pre-school. Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's learning and development. They complete comprehensive assessments and observations of what children know and can do, to determine their starting points. They use this information to plan for children's next steps in learning.
Children benefit from challenging activities that are designed to help them think for themselves and to develop problem-solving skills. The curriculum is embedded consistently and securely throughout the provision. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress.
- 27 February 2024Outstanding
- 21 May 2018Good
- 14 December 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Penguin Pre-School
- What it costs
- 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.