Best nurseries in Surrey

Attached to prep schools on the fringes of Farnham are the year-round nursery at Barfield School (2+) and term-time nurseries at Edgeborough School and Frensham Heights (3+). All offer exceptional outdoor learning experiences and many children join the preps afterwards. Towards Haslemere, Little Amesbury, part of Amesbury prep school, offers year-round sessions from 9 months but with typical waiting lists of a year, early registration is recommended. 

The ‘outstanding’ nursery at Highfield South Farnham primary school, takes children from age 3.

Of the private schools with nurseries, Longacre School in Shamley Green welcomes children from 2+, providing year-round education and access to nine acres of woodland. Rydes Hill Preparatory School offers term-time and year-round places at its popular co-ed nursery, where children from age 2 are ‘educated rather than minded’.

For outdoorsy types, Outdoor Owls in Shamley Green offers a forest nursery – expect toilet tents, tepee nap room and a lengthy kit list. 

Centrally located Goslings Nursery School offers morning and full-day sessions from the age of 2. At ‘warm and friendly’ Rocking Horse Nursery in neighbouring Farncombe, children enjoy regular outings to the farm, library and to feed the ducks.

Local private school offerings include Longacre School, mentioned in the Nurseries in Guildford section, and St Hilary’s School Nursery and Kindergarten for children aged 2+. 

In this area, three independent all-through schools have nursery offerings for children aged 2: ACS Cobham International School, Notre Dame School and Claremont Fan Court School. 

At co-educational preps, Feltonfleet School and Danes Hill School, children begin their educational journey at age 3. Girls can join Rowan Prep School from age 2 and secure a place through to year 6. Housed in a spacious barn, Parkside School’s (co-ed) year-round nursery features a library and its own music and drama rooms. 

State pre-schools are rare in this area but Cranmere Primary School in Esher, complete with pet rabbits who ‘listen’ to the children read, runs two 15-hour nursery classes a week.

It’s first come, first served into the nursery from age 2-and-a-half at Coworth Flexlands School & Nursery – most go through to reception. Halstead St Andrew’s School starts at age 2 from where pupils are expected to continue all the way through to year 11. 

Around half of state primaries in Woking and surrounds have on-site pre-schools.

Children can begin their all-through journey from 2 at St George’s Junior School – following a successful stay-and-play. More of a distance but still appealing to Weybridge parents looking for a clear route through to prep, the nursery at Jesuit prep school St John’s Beaumont, on the Berkshire border, offers small ratios and swimming lessons as well as chickens and guinea pigs.

Several primaries have pre-schools attached including St Charles Borromeo Catholic Primary School and, Surrey’s most oversubscribed school, Pyrcroft Grange Primary School, although a place at the nursery has no bearing on getting a reception place. 

From French and forest school to swimming and yoga, Cranmore’s ‘innovative and exciting’ nursery is the first point of entry at this diamond model all-through school. Nearby Manor House nursery comes highly recommended; weekly baby and toddler group helps ease children in. The ‘warm and nurturing’ Little Downsend – a cluster of pre-prep schools spread across three separate sites – cater for children from 6 months to age 7 when they can move to Downsend School.

We’re told that many parents will travel from the other side of Reigate for Holmesdale Community Infant School, which accepts children from age 3 and makes use of the school’s woodland, pond and library. 

The nursery at Reigate St Mary’s School offers year-round care and facilities galore – purpose-built climbing areas, light boxes and iPads – and a seamless transition into reception. A weekly woodland toddler group (Busy Bees), for families considering Caterham Preparatory School, is based in school’s outdoor classroom.