Albourne Under Fives
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Hassocks for children from birth to 8+, open 00:00 to 24:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2024. Open since 2016, with 22 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 West Sussex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West Sussex 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
BN6 9DLWhat 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.
Ofsted inspector, 29 April 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children show that they understand the expectations of the setting by speaking to each other with respect and kindness as they share toys and resources. Staff encourage them to use their thinking skills as they make play dough from scratch.
For example, staff ask the children what is needed for the recipe, and the children happily call out all the ingredients and describe what needs to be done. Children's independence is encouraged as they make the play dough with very little support from the staff member involved.
Staff know children and their families extremely well. They focus strongly on meeting all children's needs, consistently supporting their communication and language. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are active, motivated learners who thoroughly enjoy being at the pre-school.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
n Support all staff to develop a clear understanding of the specific skills and knowledge they want children to learn from activities.
- 29 April 2024Good
- 13 June 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Albourne Under Fives
- 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.