Wolverham and Stanney Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Ellesmere Port for children from birth to 5, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 September 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 2010, with 30 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 West and Chester
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cheshire West and Chester 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
CH65 9EXWhat 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, 24 September 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are confident, enthusiastic learners. They are inquisitive and enjoy exploring the well-resourced environment, both indoors and outside. Children are supported well by the thoughtful, kind and considerate staff team. Staff are always on hand to offer gentle reassurance and support, whenever required. Children and their families are firmly at the heart of everything that staff do. Staff have carefully adapted routines in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. They have sustained effective methods of communication with parents.
Children delightfully lead their own play and learning. They embrace challenges and support each other to solve simple problems and challenges. For example, children negotiate with each other and try out different ideas and resources, when attempting to build a wall outside. Children understand the high expectations staff have of their behaviour. They behave well and treat staff and each other with respect.
Children develop a range of creative skills. Toddlers enjoy exploring the pinecones that they have collected. They squeal with excitement as they dip them in paint and roll them on paper to make marks. Older children use real fruit and vegetables and pretend to prepare food in the 'home corner'. Staff talk to children as they play and encourage them to recall aspects of their past learning. This helps children to build upon previously taught skills and knowledge successfully.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to consistently ask questions that encourage children to think and share their ideas and understanding, to fully challenge children in their learning n enhance opportunities for staff to help children to extend their mathematical learning as they play, in order to enable children to build on their mathematical knowledge and skills further.
- 24 September 2021Good
- 13 March 2019Good
- 6 November 2014Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Wolverham and Stanney 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.