YMCA Childcare Water Lane
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Lowestoft for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. 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 2NHWhat 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.
- 24 October 2024 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 19 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive with smiles and settle quickly into their day. They are welcomed by caring staff, who know them well. This helps children feel safe, secure and ready to explore. The nursery has a warm, family feel. Its values of high ambition, respect and empathy shine through in everyday routines. Staff build trusting relationships with children and their families. This gives children the confidence to try new things.
Staff deliver an ambitious, values-led curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. For example, during the 'what's in the box' routine, staff use songs, signing and anticipation to capture children's attention and develop their language skills. Children join in with excitement, grow in confidence and learn to take turns. Children are curious and eager to learn. They clap and sing together during favourite games, and they talk with pride about what they discover in the garden. Staff make learning exciting by linking it to children's interests. Trips to the library, visits to the allotment and special visitors, such as dentists, give children rich experiences beyond the nursery walls.
Staff have clear expectations for children's behaviour. They set clear boundaries and give gentle reminders. Children respond by showing kindness to each other and a willingness to take turns. They take pride in becoming more independent, whether chopping fruit, pouring drinks or helping to check the outdoor space.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance the programme of supervision and coaching for all staff to build on their knowledge and further develop the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.
- 19 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 16 January 2020Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for YMCA Childcare Water Lane
- 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.