Rainbow Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Eastbourne 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2023. Open since 1997, with 62 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 East Sussex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in East 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
BN21 2UDWhat 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 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive with excitement to see their friends. They are eager to explore the day's activities, and swiftly become engaged in their play. Children show high levels of confidence and independence. They benefit from an ambitious curriculum that provides all children with rich and varied learning experiences. Children's interests are of high importance at this nursery and, subsequently, children sustain interest in their play. For instance, older children share a love of animals and have planned their own veterinary area. Children enjoy being imaginative and visit the 'vet', who x-rays their pets 'to make sure they are healthy'. Staff skilfully extend play, while continuing to follow the children's lead. This helps children to feel a sense of belonging, where staff value their opinions.
Children have secure attachments to staff, who are kind and nurturing. Older children delight at being able to share their own thoughts and ideas during group activities. Younger children benefit from attentive staff who know them well, which ensures that their individual care needs are met. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, and their behaviour is good. Children openly talk about their own emotions, as staff ask them how they feel. They benefit from consistent, wellplanned routines that help them to understand what is happening next. As a result, children take turns, work together to problem-solve and play harmoniously.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review the planning of group activities to help to ensure that they are engaging for the age and stage of development of the younger children participating.
- 14 February 2023Good
- 24 March 2017Good
- 15 January 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Rainbow 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.