The Cornerstone Pre-school
Good★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in London for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 1998, with 30 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 Waltham Forest
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Waltham Forest 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
E10 6EHWhat 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, 7 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy their time at this highly inclusive community pre-school. They show that they feel safe and keenly play with each other. Children are confident and take pride in their achievements. For example, they want adults to see the models they make and what they can do. Children have the freedom to explore a variety of resources. They show a positive attitude to taking part in new experiences. For example, children persist at breaking blocks of ice with wooden hammers to free their toy frogs. Children have strong bonds with their key persons. They freely approach adults for cuddles and share their news from home with them.
Staff have high expectations of what children can do. They encourage children to take age-appropriate risks, such as by climbing, travelling and jumping off play equipment. Children are independent. They serve themselves and clear their own plates at mealtimes. Children confidently manage their own toileting and respiratory hygiene needs. They develop good control over their hand and finger muscles. Children enjoy squeezing colouring into flour using pipettes. This helps children as they learn to use pens, pencils and crayons for drawing and writing.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- promote children's awareness of when they should play more calmly so that others can hear and contribute to discussions during adult-led activities n increase opportunities for children to learn to keep themselves safe when they are online.
- 7 February 2023Good
- 22 March 2022Needs improvement
- 9 July 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Cornerstone Pre-school
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.