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Play B C Preschool

Ofsted: Good
(Oct 2023)
·
5.0(17 parent reviews) ·Old School House, Mill Lane, Carshalton, SM5 2JY · Sutton
Number of places
40 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Oct 2023
Local authority
Sutton

About this day nursery

Play B C Preschool, with locations in Butter Hill, Wallington and Mill Lane, Carshalton, offers a high-quality, teacher-led learning environment for children from under two years old up to four years old. Established ten years ago as a small "pack-away" setting, the preschool has steadily grown, relocating to Elm Grove Hall in 2017 and expanding with a second site in Carshalton in 2020.

The Carshalton location also includes a dedicated, intimate, and bright space for children under two, complete with its own outdoor area. Both settings provide engaging and challenging learning activities, such as weekly yoga and mini first aid, while prioritising strong relationships with a diverse group of children, including those with special educational needs.

The preschool has achieved "excellent" scores in external assessments for interaction, good Ofsted ratings, and Early Years Quality Marks. The dedicated team, which includes four qualified teachers and boasts collectively over 100 years of experience, is committed to fostering a love for learning, developing key skills, and preparing children for primary school with a focus on phonics, mark-making, and maths mastery.

Our ethos

Play B C Preschool is committed to fostering a love for learning, developing key skills, and preparing children for primary school with a focus on phonics, mark-making, and maths mastery. The nursery provides a teacher-led learning environment that offers engaging and challenging activities, prioritising strong relationships with a diverse range of children.

What it's like

Children arrive eager and ready to start their day. They are pleasantly greeted by staff, who build warm, positive relationships with parents. Children feel at ease, happy and safe, approaching staff for comfort and reassurance. They benefit from meaningful learning experiences tailored to their needs and interests, broadening their understanding and skills for future learning and school.

Teacher-led provisionSmall group learningEnrichment activitiesMixed-age groupsHoliday clubs

Pricing & funding

Charges are structured as termly opt-in bundles to cover additional services not covered by basic government funding, such as snacks, meals, and enrichment activities. Different packages are available depending on whether 15 or 30 hours of funding is utilised.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)

Good to know

  • Children eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium receive bundles free of charge.
  • Enrichment packages do not cover pantomime or other ticketed events.
  • All listed charges are for the 2025-2026 year.
  • Bundles are billed on a termly opt-in basis.

Key facts

Opening hours

Wallington: Mon - Fri: 8.00am – 4.00pm; Carshalton: Mon - Fri: 8.00am – 6.00pm

Food

Snacks and hot meals available as part of optional enrichment packages.

Age range

Under 2s to 4 year olds

Term time / All Year

Term Time

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Play B C Preschool

Last inspected 13 October 2023 · Marvet Gayle

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children arrive eager and ready to start their day. They are pleasantly greeted by staff, who build warm, positive relationships with parents. Children feel at ease, happy and safe, approaching staff for comfort and reassurance. They benefit from meaningful learning experiences tailored to their needs and interests, broadening their understanding and skills for future learning and school.

Inspector highlights

  • Children arrive eager and ready to start their day at the pre-school and are pleasantly greeted by staff.
  • Leaders and staff provide meaningful learning experiences that consider children's needs and interests.
  • Children understand staff's high expectations for behaviour and confidently explain right and wrong choices.
  • The manager has addressed actions from the last inspection, and there is effective support for staff development.
  • Staff organise and plan an ambitious curriculum that enables children to continually build on their knowledge and skills.

Areas to develop

  • 1develop the routine in place further to support a smooth change in activities and help children understand expectations
  • 2help staff to understand and identify when children are engrossed in play and how to use these opportunities to extend what they are learning.
Inspection #10277394 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents told the inspector that children use this learning at home with their siblings.

Parents are complimentary about the quality of teaching and care provided.

They comment that they are very happy with the staff and the service.

Parents describe strong partnerships with their child's key person.

They know about their child's development through regular information sharing in both face-to-face meetings and on the online app.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by staff. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures effective links with specialist professionals, and additional funding is appropriately used and monitored to ensure good outcomes for children.

Outdoor space

Children enjoy playing in the garden, riding tricycles and scooters. They play ball games with staff, balancing and coordinating their body. They plant fruits and vegetables and learn about insects and animals in the garden.

Parent Reviews of Play B C Preschool

5.0
(17)
Katie Fryer
7 months ago

Words will not be able to describe this nursery as I wouldn't be able to speak as highly of them compared to the love and care they show my son. My son has been attending Play B C for just over a year and he absolutely loves it. He never wants to return home and wants to continue to stay and play. The staff have gone the extra mile with my son as he needs some additional help and have been working along side me and keeping me up to date with his progress. For a first time mum it can be very confusing and daunting trying to navigate the children's health care system and to know who to contact but Play B C have been an amazing help. My son has a designated teacher who looks after him and reports his week and she (Mrs Trombetta) is absolutely amazing with him and I can see through their interaction how much they care for each other. But all the staff know him and his personality and you can see how much they all care and thats what make me happy, to know everyone looks out for everyone. I am soo glad I found Play B C preschool and could not recommend it enough. I will be sad to see the day my son has to leave and start reception as I know all the staff and children have made a huge impact in his development and everyone will be missed soo much. Many thanks to all the staff at Play B C preschool for how brilliant they all are and I will always be soo grateful at how they have helped me grow my son into the lovely happy boy he is today.

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Lauren Eads
7 months ago

This is the second time we’ve used PlayBC and we are just as pleased with the care and attention we’ve received second time around. My 2 year old settled quickly and loves going into preschool. The staff are friendly, fun and warm and have really helped build his confidence while also positively supporting his learning and social skills. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

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Hilda Osayande
3 months ago

Play B C Preschool is a great place to be. My daughter is always excited to go to school. They've got great teachers and a good environment for learning. 🥰

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Keri Koh
a year ago

My daughter has been going to PlayBC for almost a year and we’re so happy we chose this preschool. She loves going every day and has made so much progress. The staff are really supportive and helpful. I’d definitely recommend to other parents!

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Louise Higgins
11 months ago

We couldn’t be happier with play b c preschool . The staff have truly gone above and beyond for our son, making him feel safe, supported, and excited to learn every day. He’s grown so much in confidence since starting, and it’s clear how much thought and care they put into everything they do—from creative activities to the genuine relationships they build with the children. We’re so grateful to have found such a wonderful place

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Play B C Preschool. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history
Improved from Requires improvement → Good in 2023

Date: January 2023

  • October 2023Good
  • January 2023Requires improvement

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more