Thorpe on the Hill Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Lincoln for children from birth to 5, open 08:30 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2022. Open since 1992, with 14 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 Lincolnshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lincolnshire 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
LN6 9BNWhat 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, 1 July 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are encouraged by nurturing staff to become curious and explorative learners. They develop their thinking, alongside their friends, using knowledge that they have previously learned. For example, children investigate why a camera is not working and conclude that it needs new batteries. Children then use an alternative camera to begin their activity. Staff ask children to find items around the room to take photos of. They emphasise the initial letter sound of words, such as 't, t, teapot', which helps children to develop their early literacy skills. Children scurry away with excitement to find a teapot and return with a digital image. When children struggle to find the number two from a number line, attentive staff are quick to respond. Through this, children develop their mathematical knowledge as they are supported to count. They have fun using technology to help them to practise the skills they will need for growing up in today's modern world.
Children demonstrate that they know the rules of the playgroup. For example, they approach the open door for fresh air but know not to move beyond the veranda without an adult. Children show respect for these rules and in turn are learning how to keep themselves safe.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to give clear and full explanations during activities so that they can deepen children's understanding n adapt the routines of the day to maximise children's involvement and engagement at group times.
- 1 July 2022Good
- 13 January 2022Inadequate
- 26 March 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Thorpe on the Hill 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.