Muddy Puddles Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Crawley for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2025. Open since 2018, with 58 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 West Sussex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West 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
RH11 0HDWhat 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, 24 April 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive strong support in a nurturing and caring environment. Staff are passionate about their work. They know and understand their families extremely well and use this knowledge to help form the curriculum. Children are happy and secure with the staff. They enthusiastically take part in the routines of the setting and approach the staff for help. There is a natural and homely feel to the conversations among the staff and children. For example, the children ask for what they would like at the snack table and ask staff to play games with them, confident that they will receive the support they need.
Children enjoy taking part in group games and activities, which successfully develop their social skills. For example, they work together as they plant seeds and engage in 'messy play'. The children enthusiastically explore in the outdoor space, which is designed with resources to encourage them to follow their curiosity and play imaginatively. This supports children to develop confidence, communication and language and their understanding of the world.
Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is highly effective. Staff have created an environment where all children are integrated and included fully in play and activities. This significantly enhances the outcomes for these children.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to recognise when excessive background noise levels may impact on children's ability to hear during activities aimed at promoting their language.
- 24 April 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 3 October 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Muddy Puddles 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.