# The Grove Pre-School Playgroup

The Grove Pre-School Playgroup is a full-day nursery at The Grove Pre-School Playgroup, The Bungalow, Damers Road, Dorchester, DT1 2LA, in Dorchester, Dorset. It is registered for 21 children. Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection in November 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 2 reviews (November 2026).

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-grove-pre-school-playgroup-139370  
Last checked 4 November 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Full-day nursery
- Address: The Grove Pre-School Playgroup, The Bungalow, Damers Road, Dorchester, DT1 2LA
- Registered places: 21
- Phone: 01305 266766
- Website: https://www.thegroveplaygroup.com/
- Ofsted URN: 139370

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection on 9 November 2023, 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/16/139370

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since September 1993 (Reference 139370). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/139370)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 9 November 2023). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/139370)
- Registered places: 21 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/139370)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: The Grove Pre-School Playgroup, The Bungalow, Damers Road, Dorchester, DT1 2LA

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=50.711250,-2.446876

- Station: Dorchester West, 0.2 miles
- Station: Dorchester South, 0.4 miles
- 13 bus stops within 400 m
- Park: St Marys Garden, 0.2 miles
- Park: Borough Gardens, 0.2 miles
- Park: The Great Field, 0.5 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.1 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.3 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.4 miles

NaPTAN, Department for Transport, checked 13 November 2026 · © OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026.

## Places and next steps

Spaces: not published yet.

In Dorset there are about 2.8 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 4 November 2026)

## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Prince of Wales School | Primary | 2–9 | Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Outstanding; Leadership and management: Good (June 2025) | yes | 0.6 miles |
| Sunninghill Preparatory School |  | 0–13 |  | yes | 0.6 miles |
| Damers First School | Primary | 4–9 | Standards maintained (February 2025) |  | 0.7 miles |
| St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester | Primary | 2–9 | School remains Good (January 2023) | yes | 0.8 miles |
| Manor Park Church of England First School | Primary | 2–9 | Report card (January 2026) | yes | 0.9 miles |
| Dorchester Learning Centre |  | 5–18 | Good (May 2022) |  | 1.3 miles |
| St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster | Primary | 4–9 |  |  | 1.6 miles |
| Dorchester Middle School | Middle deemed secondary | 9–13 | Report card (June 2026) |  | 0.2 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Summertime Nursery & Preschool](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/summertime-nursery-and-preschool-ey493659) | Good |  |  | 0.4 miles |
| [Chipmunks Day Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/chipmunks-day-nursery-ey454946) | Requires improvement |  |  | 0.5 miles |
| [Dorchester Community Nursery School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/dorchester-community-nursery-school-139333) | Good |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| [Little Robins Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/little-robins-nursery-2813369) | Report card Dec 2025 |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| [Sunny Day Nursery & Play Club](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/sunny-day-nursery-and-play-club-ey216520) | Good |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| [Charminster Preschool](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/charminster-preschool-ey337568) | Outstanding |  |  | 1.6 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is The Grove Pre-School Playgroup's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated The Grove Pre-School Playgroup Good at its inspection on 9 November 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

### How many children can The Grove Pre-School Playgroup take?

The Grove Pre-School Playgroup is registered with Ofsted for up to 21 children at any one time.

### What is the nearest station to The Grove Pre-School Playgroup?

Dorchester West is the nearest station we know of, 0.2 miles away in a straight line.

### How do I contact The Grove Pre-School Playgroup?

You can call 01305 266766 and visit www.thegroveplaygroup.com.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/139370)
- Rating and review themes: Google, as of 4 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=The+Grove+Pre-School+Play+Group&query_place_id=ChIJH0o7gsNZckgRSzOLMwuQ6AQ)
- 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.