Orchard Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Brighton 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 December 2022. Open since 1995, with 64 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
BN2 0GLWhat 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, 14 December 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are excited to arrive at this nursery. They eagerly hold their hands out to staff who are waiting for them with a smile. From a young age, children are confident in the nursery environment, and secure bonds have been developed with the staff. Children go to staff for comfort when needed, and staff respond with reassurance and cuddles, which helps them to feel emotionally secure. Children behave very well. They show kindness to their peers and look after the resources.
From the outset, children are independent. Older children confidently put away their belongings and dress themselves, ready to go outside. Very young children are encouraged to feed themselves with a spoon, under the watchful eye of their key person. They beam with delight when they are praised for 'having a go'. This helps support children's self-esteem and confidence.
Staff are dedicated to supporting families, and this is central to the planning and running of the nursery. Staff know their key children extremely well and use the information, based upon children's existing knowledge, to plan for and extend children's learning. This results in children progressing well from their starting points.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff and help them to adapt their teaching more successfully for younger children, and consider where to deliver group times to fully promote children's engagement.
- 14 December 2022Good
- 6 June 2017Outstanding
- 29 May 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Orchard Day 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.