Child's Play Pre-school
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Guildford for children from birth to 5, open 08:30 to 15:45, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2023. Open since 2013, with 36 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 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
GU2 4BSWhat 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.
- 25 July 2022 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 20 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children happily enter this warm and welcoming pre-school. They are greeted by the nurturing staff, who know them well. Children take responsibility for their belongings. They put their lunch boxes and drink bottles away and quickly settle into their chosen play. They are confident and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.
The manager and staff plan a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum. They place a high focus on personal, social and emotional development, which helps to prepare children for their transition to school. Staff use books effectively to support children's understanding of feelings and emotions. Children talk about the emotions of the different characters, such as 'happy' and 'sad'. This helps them to have an awareness of their own emotions, supporting them to build confidence and express how they are feeling. All children make good progress in their learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are positive role models.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen staff's interactions with children to offer them more support to think critically, share their own ideas and extend their learning n support staff to make transitions between routines as smooth as possible, ensuring children have a clearer understanding of what is expected of them.
- 20 July 2023Good
- 8 November 2017Good
- 17 June 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Child's Play Pre-school
- 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.