Dolphins Pre School
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Hove for children from birth to 8+, open 08:45 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in June 2025. Open since 1994, with 30 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 Brighton and Hove
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Brighton and Hove 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
BN3 7QDWhat 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 June 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The support and care that children receive is exceptional and they flourish at the pre-school. Staff are attuned to the needs of all children and work incredibly hard to provide a stimulating, bespoke curriculum that covers all areas of learning.
Leaders have developed a unique early reading scheme and they enthusiastically encourage children to enjoy mathematical problems. As a result, children excel in literacy and maths. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities
(SEND) are given appropriate support which helps them to make excellent progress in their learning and development. Staff are skilful and consistently help children to identify and manage their feelings. They treat children with the utmost respect which positively impacts the way children treat each other, staff and the resources.
- 18 June 2025Outstanding Safeguarding: Yes
- 26 November 2019Outstanding
- 7 January 2016Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dolphins 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.