Shotley Kidzone
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Ipswich for children from birth to 8+, open 07:45 to 17:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2025. Open since 1999, with 45 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 Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk 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
IP9 1NRWhat 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 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The friendly staff team welcome the children on arrival. Children often run to hug their friends and the staff, showing their evident good relationships. In the morning, the children are split into two groups. The older children use a room beside the Reception class and benefit from regular use of a shared outdoor area, which makes the Reception class familiar for those who will transition in September.
Staff know the children very well and are always on hand to join in their play and have fun with them.
Children take advantage of the large outdoor provisions. Both areas are thoughtfully set up by staff who plan the environment with children's independence in mind. The variety on offer is vast. Children can practise their physical skills, building their muscles as they run in the large space and develop their finger strength as they play in the water tray. They use their imaginations when they role play different scenarios. Staff are fully supportive of children taking measured risks.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support parents to encourage and promote children's good health and wellbeing.
- support staff to develop questioning techniques, so they consistently make the most of all interactions to help children develop their critical thinking skills more effectively.
- 19 May 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 21 June 2019Outstanding
- 15 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Shotley Kidzone
- 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.