Whittington Under Fives
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Oswestry for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2023. Open since 1993, with 45 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 Shropshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Shropshire 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
SY11 4DAWhat 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, 8 March 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
As the children arrive, staff welcome them into the friendly and caring pre-school.
The children show confidence as they leave their parents and carers at the front door. They quickly find their friends and play. The children move freely between the numerous activities on offer. For example, some children sit and look at the books and others mark make in the sand. Children happily invite staff into their play. Staff use their experience to extend the children's learning as they play. For example, some children in the role-play area choose to dress up as a 'unicorn'.
They want to wear unicorn hats, which are not part of the outfits. Staff quickly incorporate children's ideas as they take them to the art table and support them to make the hats. The children develop their imagination as they cut and stick resources to make their unicorn hat. This extends the children's engagement in the activity and helps them to embed skills they already have and develop new ones.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop activities further to inspire children's interest and curiosity, ensuring there is challenge and meaningful learning opportunities n consider ways to incorporate culture and diversity into the curriculum to broaden children's understanding of people and communities in wider Britain.
- 8 March 2023Good
- 3 July 2017Outstanding
- 29 January 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Whittington Under Fives
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.