Sandbach Heath (St John's) Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Sandbach 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 May 2023. Open since 1987, with 15 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 Cheshire East
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cheshire East 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
CW11 2LSWhat 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, 19 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy in this nurturing playgroup. They bound in, full of excitement, and chat to each other as they independently hang up their coats. Staff members warmly welcome every child, with a personal greeting and a huge smile. Children demonstrate their prior learning and have a good understanding of the world. They discuss how vegetables rot and decay. Children eagerly observe this process in the classroom worm tank. Children are kind, compassionate and mature for their ages.
They play and interact positively with each other. Children use good manners and follow the rules. Staff give children consistent praise; as a result children feel valued.
The management team and staff are extremely proud of the children. They clap, showing delight, when children master a new skill. This support helps children develop a positive attitude to learning. Staff recognise that children have experienced fewer opportunities outside of the home due to the COVID-19
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance arrangements to reflect on and monitor practice to ensure that all teaching is consistently of the highest standard.
- 19 May 2023Good
- 20 October 2017Good
- 3 November 2016Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sandbach Heath (St John's) 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.