Watery Lane Pre-school
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Minehead for from 2 years up to school age, open 08:00 to 17:00, 5 days a week. £7.00 an hour for 2-3 year olds. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2022. Open since 1992, with 34 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Term time only, 39 weeks a year.
| Age | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 year olds2y to 3y | £7.002-3 year olds- Acorn Room | |
| 3-4 year olds3y to 4y | £5.963-4 year olds- Oak Room |
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
What childcare usually costs in Somerset
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Somerset 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
TA24 5NYWhat 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
The manager has an ambitious curriculum for all children. She shares this effectively with staff and parents. Staff make meticulous observations. They talk with parents about what children like doing at home. Then they skilfully adapt the learning experiences as children's interests change.
The manager and staff know exactly what children can do and what they need to learn next. Activities and experiences build on children's skills and consolidate their learning excellently. For example, staff have created a log circle and firepit in the outdoor area to teach children safety rules around real fires for when they visit the off-site forest area. Children become very familiar with the rules and boundaries that they need to know to stay safe when out and about.
Staff help children and parents to cope with changes amazingly. For younger children and those who new to the pre-school, staff tailor settling-in sessions superbly. They offer extended settling-in sessions which fully consider the needs of children and parents. When children move on to school, staff share information about their development with the new teachers as well as parents. Children get the chance to visit their new school, join in with play times and meet with teachers.
- 1 July 2022Outstanding
- 22 January 2016Outstanding
- 25 March 2010Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Watery Lane Pre-school
- Funded hours
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £7.00 an hour still the rate? 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.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.