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Castle Nursery and Preschool in Guildford (GU1 3SY)

Ofsted: Good
(May 2025)
·
4.9(21 parent reviews) ·14 South Hill, GUILDFORD, GU1 3SY · Surrey
Number of places
43 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
May 2025
Local authority
Surrey

About this day nursery

Castle Nurseries & Pre-Schools are dedicated to providing exceptional early childhood education, guiding children from their initial stages to becoming self-assured, inquisitive learners well-prepared for school. Established in 1995, the nurseries are meticulously designed to offer a comforting, secure, and joyful environment that feels like a second home.

Experienced early years educators support children's development through a balance of child-initiated play and adult-led activities, fostering independence, resilience, and social competencies within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. The curriculum emphasises unique learning journeys and includes core elements like Forest School sessions, promoting outdoor exploration, creativity, and physical development regardless of the weather.

Additionally, the nurseries prioritise nutrition, offering healthy, freshly prepared meals daily. They aim to collaborate closely with families, acknowledging the importance of parent-nursery partnerships in a child's growth.

Our ethos

Castle Nurseries & Pre-Schools are committed to fostering self-assured, inquisitive learners by balancing child-initiated play with adult-led activities within the EYFS framework. They incorporate Forest School sessions to promote outdoor exploration and creativity in all weather, and highly value parent-nursery partnerships.

What it's like

Staff create a warm and welcoming nursery that supports children's well-being and helps them feel safe and ready to learn. Children form strong connections with key persons, behave well and enjoy enthusiastic interactions and a range of exciting learning experiences.

Forest SchoolHome-from-home environmentNutritious MealsEYFS Curriculum

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)
  • Registration Fee£100.00 / session

Key facts

Opening hours

The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for most of the year.

Food

Healthy, home-cooked meals prepared daily.

Term time / All Year

Mixed

Established

2005

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Castle Nursery and Preschool

Last inspected 8 May 2025 · Nicky Hill

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Staff create a warm and welcoming nursery that supports children's well-being and helps them feel safe and ready to learn. Children form strong connections with key persons, behave well and enjoy enthusiastic interactions and a range of exciting learning experiences.

Inspector highlights

  • Warm and welcoming nursery that supports children's well-being
  • Staff plan exciting experiences and engage children with enthusiastic interactions
  • Children form strong connections with their key person and behaviour is good
  • Children enjoy outdoor play and weekly forest school sessions to develop physical skills
  • Leaders support staff well and staff build strong partnerships with parents

Areas to develop

  • 1improve activity planning so that staff focus more precisely on the intent for individual children's next steps in learning, to offer all children more targeted support
  • 2provide further support for staff to develop their interactions with children, to help them recognise when to simplify their exchanges with younger children and when to provide more challenge for older and more able children.
Inspection #10392086 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

Outdoor space

Children enjoy plenty of opportunities to play outside and develop their physical skills. Older children experience weekly forest school sessions.

Parent Reviews of Castle Nursery and Preschool

4.9
(21)
Zoe Waterman
8 months ago

Our son has absolutely thrived at Castle. The staff are wonderful and genuinely care about all the children, it’s a small setting with a real family feel. We’ve been so impressed with how much his experience has been tailored to his particular needs and interests and he’s loved the opportunity to go to Forest School weekly as well as lots of other little trips and excursions. Amber is a great manager and her team really go above and beyond. I’d happily recommend it to anyone.

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Laura
8 months ago

We couldn’t be happier with Castle Nursery, the staff really are incredible! Even if they work in a different room to your child, they are just as friendly and welcoming. We’ve been so impressed with our daughter’s development since starting and she loves attending too! Would highly recommend.

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Craig Kellum
a year ago

We have been so impressed with Castle Nursery in all the time out son has been attending since he was around 13 months. All the staff are fantastic and consistently provide a happy, fun and caring environment for the children. The nursery facilities are great and with the additional experience of forest school (which our son loves) the children are constantly learning and developing new skills. Would highly recommend. 👍🏻

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Grace Stephens
a year ago

My daughter has absolutely thrived at Castle nursery, and it has been incredible to see her confidence grow whilst attending. The staff are fantastic, and both children and parents adore them - they are what makes Castle so special. They have nurtured and developed our daughter, bringing out the best in her, and even helped to potty train her! The whole setting has such a family feel to it, with everyone you meet being very friendly and the children making strong friendships. I particularly love the excursions for example to the Castle Christmas Lights, the petting zoo visits as well as the summer BBQ at the weekend to allow everyone to socialise together! Also, really love the grandparents invitation to come in, as well as the mother's day bath bomb making - all these little touches just add to what is such a fantastic, caring place. Couldn't be happier with our experience, and would wholeheartedly recommend it (and have done!). Thank you Castle!!

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Lana Muller
a year ago

We couldn’t be happier with Castle Nursery! The staff are incredibly caring, attentive, and dedicated to creating a warm and nurturing environment. Our child has blossomed in confidence and is always excited to go each day. The activities are engaging, and we love seeing their progress through updates and photos. Knowing our child is in such a safe and loving place gives us complete peace of mind. Highly recommend!

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Castle Nursery and Preschool. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: June 2009

  • May 2025Good
  • August 2019Good
  • March 2015Outstanding
  • June 2009Good

Frequently asked about Castle Nursery and Preschool

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