Wanstead Park Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in London for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 October 2023. Open since 1992, with 35 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 Redbridge
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Redbridge 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
E12 5HQWhat 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.
- 13 June 2022 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 5 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and settled at this playgroup. Staff know the children and their families well. They have developed a curriculum which is led by the child and has a strong focus on supporting children's communication and personal and social skills.
Staff monitor all children's progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They plan activities to support children to achieve their next steps in learning.
Children generally behave well. If there is a difficulty, staff help them to negotiate with their friends. For example, when a child wants to play with the toy telephone that another child has, staff ask them to fetch a large sand timer and to let their friend know that it will be their turn when the sand runs out. Children later explain this arrangement to others to help when another child wants the same toy.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- ensure that sufficient time is allowed for group activities so that children can fully engage in the learning opportunities n review transition arrangements further when moving between the outdoor and indoor learning environments, to minimise disruption to children's engagement in learning.
- 5 October 2023Good
- 2 April 2019Good
- 7 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Wanstead 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.