Whirley Pre School Group
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Macclesfield for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2025. Open since 1996, with 24 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 Cheshire East
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cheshire East 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
SK10 3JRWhat 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, 5 February 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children settle with ease and develop close attachments with staff in this bright and welcoming pre-school. Staff are nurturing and supportive, and they help children to feel safe and emotionally secure. They place a strong emphasis on getting to know children and their families when they first start. Staff instil values of kindness and respect. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and form secure attachments with staff. This helps to support their emotional wellbeing.
Children access a broad and balanced curriculum that helps to ensure that they embed skills across all areas of learning. Staff follow children's interests and provide plenty of opportunities for children to freely explore and lead their own learning. Children relish their time outside. They demonstrate good physical dexterity as they ride on tricycles, carefully negotiating obstacles and navigating around their friends. Children laugh infectiously as they take turns on the see-saw, commenting that they will 'catch them in a bucket' if they fall. Staff's interactions with children are carefully considered. They give clear and consistent messages for children's behaviour. Children model good manners and the behaviours they expect very well. Children form close friendships, become deeply engrossed in their play and are thoughtful and caring towards their friends.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- place a sharper focus on developing the curriculum for the youngest children so that activities are differentiated to best suit their age and stage of development.
- 5 February 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 21 March 2019Good
- 14 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Whirley Pre School Group
- 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.