Silverhill Playgroup
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in St. Leonards-On-Sea for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1964, with 30 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
TN37 6QTWhat 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, 2 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children begin their day by entering a welcoming space with lots of choices available to ignite their interests. There are strong relationships between children and their friends, as well as with staff. Children's curiosity is captured by a large pile of cardboard boxes and the chance to play inside them. They observe a jar of frogspawn and explore what will happen next by looking at reference books and images. They settle quickly and feel safe and secure in the spacious environment.
Staff plan carefully for children's learning and provide activities that appeal to their interests. They know children individually and how to take them forward to develop their knowledge and skills. Children show excitement to take home 'Bonnie' the cooking bear, and staff are keen to hear about their experiences at home.
Children have an enthusiastic attitude and behave well. They approach staff for help with disagreements, which promotes a culture of respect. Older children negotiate their ideas in play and decide together what they will pretend the cardboard boxes are and where they will enter them. Younger children enjoy taking it in turns to scoop flavoured ice creams to each other when pretending to be a shopkeeper.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide more support for children to practise and further develop the new skills they learn in small groups, during their independent play n extend opportunities for children to share their backgrounds and home experiences, to further develop their understanding of different people and communities.
- 2 March 2022Good
- 3 November 2016Good
- 1 October 2012Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Silverhill Playgroup
- 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.