The Saplings Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Tadley for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2023. Open since 2006, with 42 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 Hampshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hampshire 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
RG26 4HNWhat 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, 31 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at the setting, enthusiastic and ready to learn. They quickly connect with their friends and explore all activities on offer, together or independently.
Children form close bonds with staff who are consistently kind and caring. As a result, children feel safe and secure. They thoroughly enjoy stories being read to them individually by members of staff. At these times, they listen intently, giggle at funny parts of the story and share happy moments together. This helps to promote positive relationships and mutual respect.
Children develop good social skills. They behave well and show empathy towards others. Children learn about different emotions and how these are portrayed. For instance, if friends get upset, they gently rub their backs and talk to them reassuringly to make them happy again. Children are praised for their efforts as they model the setting's values, such as 'kind hands'. This makes them feel valued and proud.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- sharpen existing procedures for monitoring individual staff's practice to help them enhance children's learning even further n consider more ways to enhance children's awareness of the diversity of cultures represented in the setting to enable children to make connections between their own and others' heritage.
- 31 January 2023Good
- 28 June 2017Outstanding
- 30 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Saplings 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.