Ambleside Centre
Good★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Reading for children from birth to 5, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 2004, with 57 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 Wokingham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wokingham 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
RG5 4JJWhat 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, 20 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enter a calm and welcoming space. They are warmly greeted by friendly staff. On the whole, children separate from parents with ease and are quick to settle. Those that need a little help receive a reassuring cuddle. This helps them to feel safe and secure and supports their well-being. Children recognise who their key person is and gravitate towards them. This supports the need for children to have an adult to identify with, recognised as an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff remain vigilant as to where children are in the nursery and ensure children are always engaged in play inside and in the outside space.
Children are encouraged to develop, with a focus on confidence and resilience.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide more opportunities for children to complete more simple tasks for themselves to extend their independence skills even further n support staff to implement a more consistent approach to helping children understand that they have a choice and can self-select.
- 20 February 2023Good
- 4 July 2017Outstanding
- 15 May 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ambleside Centre
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.