St James Nursery and Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Southampton for babies from 3 months up to school age, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2025. Open since 2014, with 40 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
The government funding (30 hours, 9 months, 2/3/4 year).
What childcare usually costs in Southampton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Southampton 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
SO16 6UGWhat 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, 12 February 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Managers and staff warmly greet the children at the door. Children happily leave their parents and put their belongings on their designated peg. Children confidently go into their rooms and choose their activities. Staff eagerly wait for all the children to arrive before doing their daily group time. For example, children join in with
'wake and shake' with the staff. This is a music and movement activity which helps prepare children for their day. Children follow instructions and are excited to be at the nursery.
Children behave very well in this nursery. They follow the 'golden rules' which staff encourage, such as to be kind and helpful. During large-group times children show good listening and attention skills. They listen to the adults and show respect.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve the implementation of adult-led activities so that all children are fully supported to learn new skills n enhance further the coaching opportunities for staff to help them raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level.
- 12 February 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 28 May 2019Good
- 14 June 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St James Nursery and Pre-School
- What it costs
- 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
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.