Ladybird Nursery
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Godalming for children from birth to 8+, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2024. Open since 2000, with 47 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
GU7 3ERWhat 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.
- 5 December 2022 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 14 March 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff provide an inviting environment. Children are happy to leave their parents, enter the nursery and settle into their base rooms. Strong bonds develop between staff and children. Staff encourage children to develop and build on their skills as they move up through the nursery. From babies up to pre-school, staff encourage children to build on their personal, social, physical and communication development. Babies develop an awareness of washing their hands and faces and learn self-feeding skills through gentle instructions given by staff. Toddlers demonstrate that they know the daily routines and the importance of taking turns and sharing. Pre-school children are confident to choose their own play and include staff and their friends in their learning.
Staff know the children and their interests well. They use this knowledge to build on children's development and self-esteem. For example, staff incorporate letter activities for the older children who show an interest in forming words. Toddlers enjoy painting, and staff incorporate different ways to apply paint, such as using straws. Staff in the baby room create opportunities for babies to explore different textures and smells, such as using cake crumbs to make edible 'sand'.
Children behave well. Clear expectations ensure that children know how they should behave. They receive encouragement from staff as they play, cooperate with each other and take turns. Children make good progress across all areas of learning and acquire the skills they will need for their next stage of education.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve opportunities for children to engage, explore and extend on their learning and development, particularly outdoors - develop systems for monitoring and coaching staff further to focus on promoting greater consistency in practice.
- 14 March 2024Good
- 26 April 2023Needs improvement
- 1 November 2022Inadequate
- 18 November 2021Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 4 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ladybird 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.