YMCA Childcare - St Margaret's Road
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Lowestoft for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in August 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 2018, with 51 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 Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk 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
NR32 4HWWhat 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, 17 August 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy their time in this friendly nursery. They are greeted by staff who smile warmly as they welcome children in. Children feel safe and secure. They learn to have regard for each other's needs and feelings. Some children struggle to regulate their emotions and staff talk to them in a calm, respectful manner.
Children are gently reminded about the need to share, take turns, and think about their friends. Staff encourage children to use sand timers as a visual reminder of waiting for their turn. Children are helped to develop respect and tolerance for each other's opinions. They recently voted on outdoor play equipment and the item that scored the most votes was the piece of equipment that was purchased.
Children benefit from the high priority staff give to supporting children's developing speech and language skills. Staff quickly identify where there are delays or concerns and manage these well, seeking support from other professionals where necessary. Staff have high expectations of all children and encourage children to explore their own ideas. For example, when a child carries a cup of water across the room, he tells a member of staff that he is taking it outside to try to get the animals out that have been frozen into ice.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- present information clearly to children about adult-led activities so that they understand what is being taught and what is expected of them n support staff to consistently promote children's developing awareness of numbers and counting.
- 17 August 2021Good
- 10 January 2020Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for YMCA Childcare - St Margaret's Road
- 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.