West Street Pre-school
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Retford for children from birth to 8+, open 08:45 to 20:45, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1980, with 16 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 Nottinghamshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Nottinghamshire 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
DN22 6ESWhat 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.
- 18 May 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 24 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children bound into the pre-school full of excitement for the day ahead. They are familiar with the routine, which supports them to feel safe and secure. Children quickly focus on an activity of their choice. They concentrate and engage well in their play. Children who arrive upset receive comfort from caring and attentive staff, and soon settle. Children mark their attendance through a self-registration system. Younger children find their names with help from staff. Older children create their signatures on large pieces of paper. All children are eager to learn.
Children behave exceptionally well. Staff reinforce the pre-school rules before each group activity. Children have a good sense of responsibility. A child finds a cup on the floor which has been mistakenly left in the wrong place. He picks it up with surprise and says, 'Oh, how did that get there?'. He then swiftly returns the cup to its correct home. Children interact with their friends in a sociable and considerate way. As they gather around the water tray, they make space for new children to join in. Children share the watering cans between them so that everyone has one.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- maximise opportunities for children to practise using the knowledge that they have n deepen staff's understanding around providing a sequenced curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do n further develop staff's understanding about how children learn through exploration and investigation.
- 24 March 2022Good
- 22 January 2016Outstanding
- 13 September 2011Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for West Street 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.