Penhill Playgroup
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Lancing for from 2 years 6 months up to school age, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 1992, with 30 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Free Entitlement (Early Years Provision) for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.
Worth knowing. We do not make any additional charges, but ask that parents provide nappies and wipes for their child, where necessary and bring in a piece of fruit or vegetable, breadsticks or crackers each week to top up our snack provision.
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
BN15 8HAWhat 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, 17 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy coming to the play group and spending time with their friends. Staff work very hard to build positive relationships with children. This helps children feel safe and secure. Staff provide a curriculum which engages all children with their learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use their knowledge of children to plan a range of exciting and stimulating activities which engage and motivate children to learn. For example, staff prepare an activity where children must dress in clothes that are appropriate for a type of weather. Children delight and giggle as they competently buckle up a shoe and button up a coat. Children demonstrate an good level of independence that prepares them well for starting school.
Staff have very high expectations for children's behaviour. Children respond very well to staff when they are reminded of the rules, such as 'being kind to our friends'. Staff model kindness, respect and patience. They listen carefully to what children are saying and consider their opinions and thoughts. Consequently, children feel valued, and self-esteem is high. Staff effectively support children's understanding of sharing. They provide sand timers which children use to regulate turn-taking with others.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- improve teaching to make sure children consistently have enough time to process information and share their own thoughts and ideas n support staff to provide children with privacy when changing their nappies.
- 17 July 2024Good
- 22 November 2018Good
- 2 March 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Penhill Playgroup
- What it costs
- Meals
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.