# St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme is a sessional pre-school at St Marys Church, St Marys Church Office, Upper Street, London, N1 2TX, in Islington. It is registered for 27 children and takes children aged 2 years to 5 years. It opens 09:00–16:00, Mon–Fri, term time only. Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection in September 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It offers funded places for 2-year-olds and the 30 funded hours for 3 and 4-year-olds. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 2 reviews (November 2026). Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/st-marys-preschool-and-playscheme-2734141 Last checked 12 November 2026. ## At a glance - Type: Sessional pre-school - Address: St Marys Church, St Marys Church Office, Upper Street, London, N1 2TX - Ages: 2 years to 5 years - Opening hours: 09:00–16:00, Mon–Fri - Weeks open: term time only - Registered places: 27 - Funded childcare: funded places for 2-year-olds and the 30 funded hours for 3 and 4-year-olds - Meals included: no - Phone: 020 7704 2873 - Website: http://www.stmaryislington.org/ - Ofsted URN: 2734141 ## Ofsted and official records Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection on 19 September 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. - Quality of education: Good - Behaviour and attitudes: Good - Personal development: Good - Leadership and management: Good Safeguarding effective. Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2734141 Official records: - Ofsted registration: Registered since June 2023 (Reference 2734141). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2734141) - Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 19 September 2025). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2734141) - Registered places: 27 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2734141) - Food hygiene rating: 5 (Very good) (inspected 25 June 2024). Source: Food Standards Agency, checked 13 November 2026 (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1036081) ## Fees | Age | Per hour | |---|---| | 2-year-olds | £13 | | 3 and over | £12 | | All ages | £10 | Price per hour is the day rate over a 7-hour day, from the nursery's opening hours. Source: nursery website (https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool), 11 November 2026. Funded hours: 2-year-olds, 30 hours. ## Hours and ages - Monday to Friday: 09:00–16:00 - Ages: 2 years to 5 years - Weeks open: term time only - Sessions: per hour ## Getting there Address: St Marys Church, St Marys Church Office, Upper Street, London, N1 2TX Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.538936,-0.101597 - Station: Essex Road, 0.3 miles - Station: Angel, 0.5 miles - Station: Highbury & Islington, 0.6 miles - 17 bus stops within 400 m - Park: Andersons Square, 0.1 miles - Park: Pleasant Place Garden, 0.1 miles - Park: Gibson Square, 0.2 miles - Park: Dibden Street Triangle, 0.2 miles - Park: Islington Green, 0.2 miles - Playground: Pocket Playground, under 0.1 miles © OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026 · Powered by TfL Open Data, checked 13 November 2026. ## Places and next steps Spaces: not published yet. In Islington there are about 2.6 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces. Source: ONS Census 2021. When to apply: https://toddly.co.uk/when-to-apply-for-nursery ## Ratings - Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews (as of 12 November 2026) ## About: a day here ### Learning Its website says the nursery's approach is a faith-based ethos. In its 2025 Ofsted inspection, the nursery was rated Good for overall effectiveness and Good for quality of education. - Faith-based ethos (source: nursery website, https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool) ### Food Meals are not included in the fees. Its website says parents provide a packed lunch, and healthy snacks are provided. - Parents provide packed lunch (source: nursery website, https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool) - Healthy snacks provided (source: nursery website, https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool) ### Care and routines - Flexible sessions (source: nursery website, https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool) - Term-time only (source: nursery website, https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool) - Half-day sessions (source: nursery website, https://www.stmaryislington.org/applytopreschool) ### Safety Ofsted 2025 judged safeguarding effective. ### Getting a place Its website says families book a visit, then register on the bookings database with their child's details. The team then discusses places and start dates, and future-term applications go by deadline. Once offered a place, parents complete the registration form; the nursery accepts funded hours for 2-year-olds, the universal 15 funded hours for 3-4 year olds, and 30 funded hours for eligible 3-4 year olds. ## Nearby schools Distances are in a straight line. | School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | St Mary's CofE Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | School remains Good (March 2023) | | under 0.1 miles | | William Tyndale Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Outstanding; Leadership and management: Good (November 2024) | yes | 0.2 miles | | Richard Cloudesley School | | 2–19 | School remains Outstanding (October 2023) | yes | 0.2 miles | | New River College Primary | | 5–11 | School remains Good (June 2023) | | 0.3 miles | | St John Evangelist Catholic Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | School remains Good (April 2024) | yes | 0.4 miles | | Thornhill Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | School remains Good (November 2022) | yes | 0.4 miles | | Laycock Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | Good (June 2024) | yes | 0.4 miles | | Canonbury Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | School remains Good (October 2022) | yes | 0.4 miles | ## Nearby nurseries | Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Islington Square Day Nursery and Pre-school](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/islington-square-day-nursery-and-pre-school-2686900) | Good | | 08:00–18:00 | under 0.1 miles | | [Be Me Day Nursery Angel](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/be-me-day-nursery-angel-ey499770) | Outstanding | | 08:00–18:00 | under 0.1 miles | | [MEplace Islington](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/meplace-islington-2868841) | | | 08:00–18:00 | 0.1 miles | | [Les Petites Etoiles Bilingual Montessori – Angel](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/les-petites-etoiles-bilingual-montessori-angel-131709) | Good | | 08:00–18:00 | 0.1 miles | | [Packington Children's Centre](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/packington-childrens-centre-ey442174) | Good | | 08:00–18:00 | 0.3 miles | | [Nanny Jane's Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/nanny-janes-nursery-2723947) | Report card Apr 2026 | | 07:30–18:30 | 0.3 miles | ## Frequently asked questions ### How much does St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme cost? St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme publishes these fees: per hour £13 for 2-year-olds, per hour £12 for 3 and over and per hour £10 for all ages (nursery website, November 2026). Funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare can reduce what you pay. ### Does St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme offer 30 funded hours? Yes. St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme offers the 30 funded hours for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds. ### Does St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme take funded 2-year-olds? Yes. St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme offers funded places for eligible 2-year-olds. ### What are St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme's opening hours? St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme opens 09:00–16:00, Mon–Fri. ### Is St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme open all year? No. St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme is open term time only. ### What ages does St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme take? St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme takes children aged 2 years to 5 years. ### What is St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme's Ofsted rating? Ofsted rated St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme Good at its inspection on 19 September 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. ### How many children can St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme take? St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme is registered with Ofsted for up to 27 children at any one time. ### Are meals included at St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme? Meals are not included in the fees at St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme. ### What approach does St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme follow? St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme's website describes its approach as: Faith-based ethos. ### What is the nearest station to St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme? Essex Road is the nearest station we know of, 0.3 miles away in a straight line. ### How do I contact St Mary's Preschool and Playscheme? You can call 020 7704 2873 and visit www.stmaryislington.org. ## Sources - Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2734141) - Fees, hours and features: the nursery's website (www.stmaryislington.org), as of 11 November 2026 (http://www.stmaryislington.org/) - Rating and review themes: Google, as of 12 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=St+Mary%27s+Preschool+and+Playscheme&query_place_id=ChIJ9UZU-2YbdkgRi8pQPqNgPxw) - Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools, as of 4 November 2026 (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/) Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.