Playways Pre School
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Rainham for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2024. Open since 2015, with 60 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 Havering
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Havering 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
RM13 9DEWhat 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, 11 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff at the pre-school spend time getting to know children's individual personalities. They design an environment that ignites children's interests. Staff ensure that all children have new experiences and explore unfamiliar tools and equipment. Children feel excited to arrive at pre-school. They enjoy exploring the environment as they discover new skills and knowledge.
Staff support children to become independent. Children of all ages help themselves to scissors and glue in the creative area. Children carefully help each other to get tape out of the dispenser. They climb on large equipment outside and excitedly sweep up leaves with brooms. Children try hard when things are tricky. Children of all ages have positive attitudes to learning. They keep going and persevere when things are challenging.
Staff create a truly inclusive culture at the pre-school. Children of all stages of learning join together to access activities. Staff have high expectations of all of the children. They explain these expectations clearly to children. Children learn to be kind to one another and respectful. When children struggle to regulate their emotions, staff provide sensitive support. Children of all ages behave well.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- further develop the planning of focussed activities to support all children to be focus and concentrate at the highest levels n build on existing good practice to plan the most ambitious opportunities for children to develop mark making skills.
- 11 January 2024Good
- 16 March 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Playways 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.