St. Marys Preschool Playgroup
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Ipswich for from 2 years up to school age, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. £18.00 a session for 2 year olds, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2021. Open since 1999, with 32 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Session | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 year olds2y to 3y | £18.00Non funded | |
| 3 and 4 year olds3y to 4y | £15.00Non funded | |
| All ages | £5.50Early access |
Funded hours
15 hours free for 3 and 4 year olds; additional 15 hours (30 hours total) for working families; funded places for eligible 2 year olds; up to 30 hours for working families with 2-year-olds from September 2025.
Worth knowing. The 15 hours free education must be with a 'registered provider'; we will supply a form for you to complete in order to qualify for the funding.
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
IP4 4BDWhat 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, 18 October 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy to attend this friendly pre-school. They demonstrate that they feel settled and are safe and secure. Children increase their confidence as they explore the environment and make choices for themselves. They enjoy role-play activities, dressing up in a range of outfits and using props, such as tea pots and china cups to make 'tea'. Staff model good behaviour and support children to share popular items as they play alongside others. Children develop friendships and show that they have positive relationships with staff. They are happy to ask for help when needed. Children who are more confident are keen to approach the inspectors to share their experiences and what they know. All children enjoy joining in with the actions and words to familiar songs.
Children are familiar with the daily routines and follow instructions well. They all know what to do when staff say it is time for the 'daily mile'. Children find their coats and line up, ready to be counted, before going outdoors with staff to walk around the priest garden. Children benefit from the high priority staff give to supporting children's developing speech and language skills. Staff quickly identify where there are delays or concerns and manage these well. They seek support from other professionals when necessary.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to ensure that all children have equally high-quality learning opportunities n ensure staff minimise disruption to children's engagement in activities and give children the time to complete activities to their own satisfaction n enable children to share more about the languages, traditions and cultural practices they experience at home.
- 18 October 2021Good
- 6 February 2020Needs improvement
- 25 April 2016Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St. Marys Preschool Playgroup
- 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.
- Is £18.00 a session still the rate? 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.