St Wilfrid's Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Northwich for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 09:00 to 15:15, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 1987, with 30 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
15 & 30 hours free funded places available!
What childcare usually costs in Cheshire West and Chester
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cheshire West and Chester 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
CW8 1JWWhat 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, 11 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff offer children and parents a friendly welcome when they arrive each morning.
Children confidently wave goodbye to their parents and eagerly anticipate what exciting activities and tasks await them. Children are happy and reassured by the positive relationships they share with gentle and caring staff. Staff create a calm atmosphere throughout the pre-school, where children have fun. Children frequently laugh and staff use humour to engage them in their learning. For instance, children giggle as they play with dough and smile with excitement as they run outside. Children behave well and enjoy the company of peers. Friendships blossom and children are settled, happy and content.
Children develop good early literacy skills. They begin to recognise their name when they locate name-cards each morning at registration. Children practise writing their own names, to label artwork they create. They learn that print carries meaning as they decode story books, using images and illustrations. A love of literacy is further reinforced as children select books from the on-site library to read at home. Literacy is a core element of the curriculum and children learn this skill in age-appropriate, enjoyable ways. Older children count in sequence, while younger children recognise numbers. They develop good mathematical skills, practising their number work through hands-on play. For instance, children join in familiar number songs during carpet time. They use the rhythm and repetition of the song to learn and recite number sequences. Children have regular opportunities to be physically active. They practise balance, coordination and core strength during weekly physical education lessons. Furthermore, this helps to promote children's good physical health, through movement and exercise. Overall, children experience a varied and exciting curriculum. All children are well supported to make good progress.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop staff's teaching skills to provide children with even more opportunities to engage in discussion and practise their conversational skills as they play n improve the organisation of group activities to ensure that all children benefit fully from the quality teaching available.
- 11 October 2023Good
- 15 March 2018Good
- 13 November 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St Wilfrid's 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.