Sharpness Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Berkeley for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2024. Open since 1992, with 24 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 Gloucestershire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Gloucestershire 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
GL13 9NUWhat 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, 23 May 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are welcomed by caring, friendly staff as they begin their day. They settle quickly and happily join in with routines, such as registration. Staff know all children well and develop trusting relationships with them. Children clearly enjoy their time at the playgroup and look to staff for reassurance if needed.
Staff design and plan an ambitious curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. They know what they want children to learn and experience during their time at the playgroup. This focuses on children's interests and staff plan exciting activities for children to take part in. For example, children enjoy learning about minibeasts and staff plan snail craft activities that support children to learn about why snails have shells and what snails like to eat.
Children are independent and confidently choose what they want to play with.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- continue to support staff to be consistent in their behaviour management strategies, to better help children understand behaviour expectations and the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others.
- 23 May 2024Good
- 10 July 2018Good
- 27 February 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sharpness 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.