The Park Playgroup
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Manchester for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 14:50, 7 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2023. Open since 2015, with 50 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 Trafford
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Trafford 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
M16 9PQWhat 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 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff offer a welcoming and stimulating learning environment where children feel happy and safe. Staff recognise that some children may be overwhelmed by the busy atmosphere of the playgroup. As such, they use calm areas where children benefit from one-to-one attention. Children spend time exploring sensory resources in a well-equipped room. Children request favourite songs. They sing as they complete actions, smiling and laughing to demonstrate their enjoyment. Staff build children's confidence. They know all the children extremely well. This is evident in the close bonds they share. Staff celebrate every achievement children make. This helps children to become confident learners who embrace new skills.
Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their communication and language skills. For instance, staff support children in small groups to develop their listening and attention skills and their speech. Staff also use good questioning techniques to extend children's language and thinking skills. Children demonstrate their good communication as they add narratives and storylines to their role play.
Children are able to participate in two-way conversations. Staff create a range of activities and interesting resources to support children's learning. Children show delight as they explore and create different sounds with musical instruments. Staff consider children's existing skills and plan for what they want them to learn next.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to understand what leaders intend children to learn during daily transition times to help children participate in all the playgroup has to offer.
- 11 December 2023Good
- 20 March 2018Good
- 13 June 2017Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Park Playgroup
- 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.