Countryways Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Sedlescombe for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2021. Open since 2009, with 21 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 East Sussex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in East 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
TN33 0SDWhat 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, 18 October 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children come into the nursery happily and quickly settle to activities. They form strong bonds with the staff team. They show that they feel happy and safe with staff, asking for hugs when they see them. Children behave well and demonstrate very good manners. They ask politely if they want something and say 'please' and
'thank you' without prompting. They gain useful self-care skills and become more independent. Older children use knives and forks competently at lunchtime, and toddlers begin to feed themselves with a spoon. Even the youngest children find their own shoes and coats when they go outside.
Children take part in a varied range of experiences that they enjoy. Younger children are excited to crunch cornflakes with their feet or move their bodies to music. Older children have great fun playing imaginative games on the outdoor equipment. Staff know children well and have high expectations for what they can achieve. Children who need extra support or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from well-targeted assistance to help close any gaps.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to focus more precisely on what they want children to learn from activities, to offer new challenges and help children make the best possible progress n strengthen the planning of group activities such as story time, to fully engage all children and to provide even better support for their language and communication skills.
- 18 October 2021Good
- 18 August 2016Good
- 10 September 2012Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Countryways Nursery
- 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.