NurseryWise Childcare in England
Pre-school in Ipswich

Toybox (Gatacre Road) Pre-school Group Limited

GoodBirth to 5Open a few years

A pre-school in Ipswich for children from birth to 5, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2024. Open since 2021, with 28 places.

Call 01473216477

Cost

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 Suffolk

£6.33an hour, typical for a 2 years old
£6.00an hour, typical for a 3 and 4 years old

This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.

The basics

Places, hours and the day

Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.

Who they can take
Birth to 5Registered from birth. Whether there is a baby room is a question for the call.
When it's open
Sessions in term time, often mornings
Funded hours
Not published, so ask them
How many children
28 placesMedium for England
How long open
5 yearsOpen a few years
Address
Sports Field, Handford Hall Primary School, Ipswich, IP1 2LQ

Where it is

IP1 2LQ
Ofsted URN 2660274On the register since 5 October 2021
The rating

What Ofsted said

Last inspected on 7 March 2024.

Good

Ofsted's expected standard. Most settings in England are rated Good.

Still missing for Toybox (Gatacre Road) Pre-school Group Limited

  • 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.

Before you ring

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.
Compare

Pre-schools within a couple of miles

This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.

The Little Rascals Pre-School

Pre-school · The Methodist Church, Bramford Road (North West), Ipswich, IP1 2NA

OutstandingBirth to 5Sessions in term time, often mornings34 placesOpen for decades
0.2 mi
5 min walk
07963217777

St Helens Playgroup

Pre-school · St Helen'S Church, St Helen'S Street, Ipswich, IP4 2LS

Report card Apr 2026Birth to 509:00 to 12:00, 7 days a week22 placesOpen for decades
1.3 mi
3 min drive
07507455185Their website

Acorn2Oak Preschool

Pre-school · Castle Hill Junior School, Dryden Road, Ipswich, IP1 6QD

GoodTakes funded hours£5.75 an hourBirth to 8+From 2 years08:00 to 16:00, 5 days a week28 placesOpen for decades

Bright Sparks Nursery

Pre-school · St Peter'S Church Hall, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, IP2 9TH

GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5From 1 year09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week35 placesOpen for decades
1.7 mi
5 min drive
01473 602270Their website

Brookside Pre-school

Pre-school · Gusford School Grounds, Sheldrake Drive, Ipswich, IP2 9LQ

GoodTakes funded hours£4.50 an hourBirth to 8+From 2 years08:30 to 15:15, 5 days a week30 placesOpen for decades
1.9 mi
5 min drive
01473604238Their website

Pick two or three to compare.

Everything here comes from Ofsted's published childcare register, under the Open Government Licence. Ratings are quoted exactly as Ofsted gave them, with their dates. Read the full Ofsted reports · How we put this together.

All childcare in Ipswich