--- title: "St. Marys Preschool Playgroup — Rated Good by Ofsted" description: "St. Marys Preschool Playgroup, a nursery in Ipswich — Ofsted-rated Good. See opening hours, fees, photos, parent reviews and contact details on Nursery Advice." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. Ofsted ratings, fees, opening hours, parent reviews and inspection history — all in one place.", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk/search?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. 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It operates during term time only." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does St. Marys Preschool Playgroup do well?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Staff place strong emphasis on speech and language, identifying delays quickly and bringing in outside support when needed. Children are confident, staff use their interests to shape play, and families benefit from clear communication and good partnership working." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is St. Marys Preschool Playgroup a private nursery?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "St. Marys Preschool Playgroup is classed as childcare on non-domestic premises and provides full day care. It is a pre-school setting rather than a private day nursery." } } ] } ] } ] --- [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/ "Nursery Advice") [Find Nurseries](/search)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)[Compare](/compare)[About Us](/about-us)[For Nurseries](/for-nurseries) [Claim Your Nursery](/claim) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Nurseries](/nurseries) 3. [East of England](/search?region=East+of+England) 4. St. Marys Preschool Playgroup # St. Marys Preschool Playgroup Compare Contact Nursery Ofsted: Good (Oct 2021) · 322 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, IP4 4BD · Suffolk Number of places 32 places Age range 2–4 yrs Last inspected Oct 2021 Local authority Suffolk About - About - Pricing - Ofsted - Inclusion - FAQ - [About](#about) - [Pricing](#pricing) - [Ofsted](#ofsted) - [Inclusion](#inclusion) - [FAQ](#faq) Email Nursery ## About this day nursery St. Mary's Pre-school, located in Ipswich, Suffolk, offers a nurturing and stimulating environment for children aged 2 to 5 years old. Since its establishment in April 1999, the pre-school has been dedicated to providing high-quality care and education. Operating from St. Mary's Church Hall, the pre-school runs ten sessions weekly from Monday to Friday, between 9:30 am and 3:30 pm, with early access options available. As a registered charity, St. Mary's is committed to fostering children's learning and development in collaboration with parents, contributing positively to the local community, and upholding principles of equality and diversity. The pre-school accepts various government funding schemes for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds, ensuring accessibility for different family circumstances. They also offer early access sessions at an additional cost. The pre-school works to provide a diverse range of opportunities for children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, through initiatives like the Early Years Pupil Premium. What it's like Children are happy to attend this friendly pre-school, feeling settled, safe and secure. They increase their confidence by exploring the environment and making choices, enjoying role-play and developing friendships. The children are familiar with daily routines, follow instructions, and benefit from staff support for their developing speech and language skills. Registered Charity High-Quality Care and Education Community-Focused Early Years Pupil Premium ## Pricing & funding Fees are charged per session, with rates tiered by age for non-funded hours. An early access option is available for an additional charge. Fees are invoiced half-termly in advance. Funding accepted 15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs) 30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs) Tax-Free Childcare 15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds 15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs) Good to know - Fees are payable half-termly, in advance. - Invoices include a half-termly donation for healthy snacks. ## Key facts Opening hours Monday - Friday, 9:30am - 3:30pm Age range 2 to 5 years Term time / All Year Term Time Session types Morning, Afternoon Established 1999 ### Official Ofsted Report Independent inspection of St. Marys Preschool Playgroup Inspection date Oct 2021 Inspection no. 10148343 Lead inspector Karen Harris Safeguarding arrangements are effective [Download full report (PDF)](https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50172099)[View on Ofsted.gov.uk](https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/251658) Visit or enquire ### Book a show-around Most settings reply within 48 hours. Schedule a VisitContact NurseryJoin Waitlist Get in touch ### Contact Reveal phone number [ Visit website ](https://stmarys-preschool-ipswich.org.uk/) 322 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, IP4 4BD [© Mapbox](https://www.mapbox.com/about/maps) [© OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright/) [Improve this map](https://apps.mapbox.com/feedback/?owner=bettersearch&id=cmr0xkm3n001m01shcu7igkjr&access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiYmV0dGVyc2VhcmNoIiwiYSI6ImNtcjB4NzVvNDA0ZTkycHF5Z3g3aWNtZWcifQ.h8Ni35tijJSAoESKsGArhg#/1.17367/52.06124/14) [](https://www.mapbox.com/) ## Explore day nurseries near Ipswich - [Day nurseries in Ipswich](/search?q=Ipswich) - [Day nurseries in East of England](/search?q=East+of+England) Is this your nursery? Claim this listing to add photos, pricing, and respond to enquiries. [Claim this listing](/claim?nursery=st-marys-preschool-playgroup-ip4-4bd-251658) Ofsted Inspection ## Ofsted rating for St. Marys Preschool Playgroup Last inspected 18 October 2021 · Karen Harris 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 are happy to attend this friendly pre-school, feeling settled, safe and secure. They increase their confidence by exploring the environment and making choices, enjoying role-play and developing friendships. The children are familiar with daily routines, follow instructions, and benefit from staff support for their developing speech and language skills. Inspector highlights - Children are happy and confident in the pre-school environment. - Staff effectively use children's interests to aid learning through play. - Partnerships with parents and carers are strong, with positive feedback on communication and support. - Children are supported to become independent, learning self-care skills and hygiene. - Children have many opportunities for physical play and develop skills for future learning. Areas to develop - 1 Support staff to ensure that all children have equally high-quality learning opportunities. - 2 Ensure staff minimise disruption to children's engagement in activities and give children the time to complete activities to their own satisfaction. - 3 Enable children to share more about the languages, traditions and cultural practices they experience at home. Inspection #10148343 · Source: Ofsted [View full Ofsted report](https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50172099) ## What parents say Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection > Parents express their thoughts and comment positively on the pre-school and the activities available to their children. > They value the information that staff share about their children and highlight the effective communication and support offered. Inclusion & environment ## How they support every child SEND provision 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 when necessary. Outdoor space Children all know what to do when staff say it is time for the 'daily mile'. Children find their coats and line up, ready to be counted, before going outdoors with staff to walk around the priest garden. Children have many opportunities for physical play, are eager to climb on the climbing frame and slide down the slope, and enjoy using jumping sacks. Inspection history Date: May 2005 - November 2021 Good - October 2021 Good - March 2020 Requires improvement - February 2020 Requires improvement - May 2016 Outstanding - April 2016 Outstanding - March 2011 Outstanding - February 2011 Outstanding - November 2007 Good - May 2005 Good ## Frequently asked about St. Marys Preschool Playgroup ### How many places does St. Marys Preschool Playgroup have? ### What are the opening hours at St. Marys Preschool Playgroup? ### What does St. Marys Preschool Playgroup do well? ### Is St. Marys Preschool Playgroup a private nursery? ## Nearby day nurseries in Ipswich Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to St. Marys Preschool Playgroup. - [ Ofsted: Good 0.4 mi ### Little Leaders Childcare Ipswich · IP4 1PD ](/nursery/little-leaders-childcare-ip4-1pd-ey433050) - [ Ofsted: Good 0.4 mi ### Little Acorns Pre School Ipswich · IP4 4JD ](/nursery/little-acorns-pre-school-ip4-4jd-251558) - [ Ofsted: Good 0.5 mi ### Bright Horizons Quayside Day Nursery and Preschool Ipswich · IP4 1LT 4.5(19 reviews) ](/nursery/bright-horizons-quayside-day-nursery-and-preschool-ip4-1lt-ey350193) - [ Ofsted: Good 0.7 mi ### Twizzle Tops Day Nursery Ipswich · IP3 8AX 4.1(9 reviews) ](/nursery/twizzle-tops-day-nursery-ip3-8ax-2589197) - [ Ofsted: Good 0.8 mi ### Ipswich Private Kindergarten Ipswich · IP4 4NX ](/nursery/ipswich-private-kindergarten-limited-ip4-4nx-251762) - [ Ofsted: Good 0.8 mi ### Rainbow Bright Day Care Ipswich · IP4 4QS ](/nursery/rainbow-bright-day-care-ip4-4qs-251760) [See all nurseries in Ipswich →](/search?q=Ipswich) ### Are you the owner of this nursery? 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