Swallownest Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Sheffield for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 09:15 to 15:15, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2024. Open since 1970, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Free childcare for 2 year olds; All 3 - 4 year olds are automatically entitled to receive a 15 hours funded place the term after their 3rd birthday; Parents can check whether they could be eligible for a range of government childcare offers, including 30 hours.
What childcare usually costs in Rotherham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Rotherham 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
S26 4URWhat 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, 20 March 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome when they arrive in the morning. They separate from their parents readily as they are keen to go and explore the activities set out for them. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere as staff join children in their play. There is plenty of choice for children, as staff plan activities based on their knowledge of children's interests. Children use books to help them to identify different dinosaurs. They easily access art and craft activities. This allows children to develop their imaginations as they create their own pictures and models.
Children confidently count the number of legs on different insects, then point to the corresponding number on a display. They become deeply engaged in their learning.
Children's enthusiasm as they hunt for different minibeasts under logs is wonderful.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen teaching further to ensure that staff consistently support children's next steps in learning as they engage in independent play choices n develop group times to promote children's purposeful learning by ensuring that activities are of an appropriate length to maintain children's engagement n provide further professional development for staff to develop their understanding of the foundations children need to support their early literacy skills.
- 20 March 2024Good
- 24 April 2018Good
- 10 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Swallownest 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.