The Rocking Horse Childcare Centre
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Nottingham 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2023. Open since 2004, with 74 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 Nottinghamshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Nottinghamshire 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
NG17 7FHWhat 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 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children happily arrive at the nursery and are greeted by the friendly and welcoming staff. They independently hang their coats on their assigned pegs before exploring the activities that staff have planned. Children build strong and warm relationships with staff. They go to them for cuddles and reassurance. This helps them to feel safe and secure in their care. Staff use books creatively to help children develop their language. For example, children use props to re-enact parts of the book 'The Gruffalo'. They competently turn the pages and use expression as they repeat the rhyming parts, which they remember well.
Staff support children to learn to do things for themselves. For example, children pour their own drinks and serve themselves at mealtimes. Babies learn to feed themselves. Children wash their hands regularly, and staff take time to teach children the benefits of regular handwashing.
Children enjoy the time they spend outside. They show good hand-to-eye coordination as they dig and make sandcastles in the sand tray. Children develop their coordination skills further as they manoeuvre ride-on cars and bicycles.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help children to understand why they are being praised for positive behaviour so they develop an awareness of behavioural expectations
- provide highly effective teaching that helps children to achieve the best possible outcomes.
- 24 February 2023Good
- 11 May 2017Good
- 9 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Rocking Horse Childcare Centre
- 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.