Castle Nursery and Preschool
GoodTakes funded hours★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Guildford for babies from 9 months up to school age, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2025. Open since 2005, with 39 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Government-funded childcare for children from 9 months old, as well as for 2-year-olds and 3 - 4-year-olds.
Worth knowing. These entitlements are provided in line with the criteria set out by the local authority. Eligibility may vary, so please speak with the Nursery Manager at your preferred setting for guidance on the funding options available to you.
What childcare usually costs in Surrey
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Surrey 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
GU5 0RSWhat 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, 7 February 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The staff are friendly, kind and warmly welcome children at the door when they arrive. Their genuine pleasure at seeing them helps children feel welcome, and they settle in quickly. Staff are attentive, compassionate and give new children the support that is needed, such as cuddles and affection if they become upset. This offers children the reassurance they need to help them become familiar with their surroundings and feel secure. Children develop a sense of belonging and engage well in their play and learning.
Managers and staff have high expectations of all children's learning and behaviour, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For instance, staff monitor children's progress by assessing them in all areas of development and offer support where it is needed. Children develop positive attitudes towards learning. Staff give children clear directions and consistently reinforce the golden rules that are in place. They role model the behaviour that is expected and talk to children with respect. This helps children feel valued, and they learn right from wrong.
Children play amicably together. They seek staff out for comfort and to share their experiences with. Through well planned activities, staff encourage children to explore their emotions. For example, children enjoy taking part in a group activity where they talk about feelings and give examples of what makes them feel happy, sad, or even frustrated. Staff encourage children to demonstrate these feelings by making facial expressions and using their body language. The children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to recognise when opportunities arise to extend children's learning and interests further.
- 7 February 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 30 May 2019Good
- 13 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Castle Nursery and Preschool
- What it costs
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.