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Barn Owls Pre-School

Ofsted: Expected standard·Etchingham Primary School and Nursery, Parsonage Croft, Etchingham, TN19 7BY · East Sussex
Number of places
30 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
East Sussex

About this day nursery

Barn Owls Pre-School, located in Etchingham, East Sussex, provides a nurturing and inclusive environment where children aged 2 to 4 years can develop and learn with confidence. Established in 2015, the pre-school is committed to fostering children's emotional needs, ensuring they feel safe and secure.

The dedicated staff uses a key-person approach to meet individual learning preferences, and they skillfully play alongside children, especially those new to the setting or facing transitions. Children consistently demonstrate kindness and consideration towards peers and staff, exhibiting excellent attitudes towards learning.

The pre-school enriches learning with unique opportunities such as interactions with large farm animals and visits from the fire service, as well as transforming their outdoor area into an enticing space for physical and exploratory play. With a strong focus on progress for all, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, Barn Owls Pre-School collaborates closely with families and external agencies to provide targeted support.

Parents consistently express positive feedback, and are encouraged to participate and contribute to the children's learning journey, further solidifying the strong school-to-home connection.

Our ethos

Barn Owls Pre-school's philosophy is rooted in recognising each child as an individual, promoting positive relationships, and creating enabling environments that support development and learning. They are committed to supporting each child's unique learning journey, fostering creativity and personal growth, and building a strong foundation for lifelong learning and personal development. They adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.

What it's like

Leaders and staff have created a nurturing and inclusive setting in which children's development and learning flourishes. There is a positive focus on supporting children's emotional needs, and staff use their skills effectively to play alongside children, particularly those new to the setting or struggling with transition. Children respond well, demonstrating they feel safe and secure, behave well, and have excellent attitudes to learning, with routines supporting their understanding of what is about to happen next.

Nurturing environmentInclusive settingStrong parent partnershipsOutdoor learning focusDedicated staff

Pricing & funding

Fees are charged on an hourly basis, with rates varying depending on the child's age band. Additional hours outside of funded entitlements are charged at the standard hourly rate, and school meals are billed separately for all ages.

Funding accepted

15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
  • Hourly fee for 2-year-olds£7.60 / hour
  • Hourly fee for 3/4-year-olds£7.10 / hour
  • School meals£3.06 / session

Good to know

  • School meals are charged separately for all age groups.
  • Additional hours taken outside of funded entitlements are charged at the standard hourly rate.
  • Government funding can be split between up to two settings.
  • Parents must provide their eligibility codes in advance to secure funded hours.

Key facts

Opening hours

8.45am – 3.15pm, five days a week during school term times

Age range

2 years to statutory school age

Established

2015

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected Jan 2026

Headline: Expected standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
2 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Barn Owls Pre-School

Last inspected 15 January 2026

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Leaders and staff have created a nurturing and inclusive setting in which children's development and learning flourishes. There is a positive focus on supporting children's emotional needs, and staff use their skills effectively to play alongside children, particularly those new to the setting or struggling with transition. Children respond well, demonstrating they feel safe and secure, behave well, and have excellent attitudes to learning, with routines supporting their understanding of what is about to happen next.

Inspector highlights

  • Children are consistently kind and considerate towards each other and staff.
  • Staff provide additional opportunities that some children may not have experienced before, such as meeting large farm animals.
  • Parents provide extremely positive views on the setting, and leaders and staff actively encourage parents' participation and feedback.
  • Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those children with emerging needs make significant progress from their starting points.
  • Leaders and staff have transformed the outside area to entice children to play and learn, ensuring all areas of learning are accessible in this space.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders should ensure that all children are consistently encouraged to join in and benefit from staff's effective teaching at all times.
  • 2Leaders should provide staff with the knowledge and skills to implement the curriculum to a higher level.
Inspection #10062844 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Targeted adjustments for those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have a significant impact on their sense of belonging and positive self-esteem. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those children with emerging needs make significant progress from their starting points. Staff work with families and outside agencies to provide targeted intervention for children who are at risk of falling behind.

Outdoor space

Staff create a mixture of environments where children find calm and quiet, along with more lively areas where children enjoy running, balancing and climbing in the fresh air, which helps to develop their physical and coordination skills. Leaders and staff have transformed the outside area to entice children to play and learn. Staff ensure that children can access all areas of learning in this space, supporting the learning of all children effectively, particularly those who prefer to learn outside.

Inspection history

Date: June 2016

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Good). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • June 2020Good
  • June 2016Good

Frequently asked about Barn Owls Pre-School

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