Peter Rabbit Nursery

A park pavilion, a Montessori ethos and a clear emphasis on language give Peter Rabbit Nursery its character. Based at Sutherland Memorial Park in Burpham, Guildford, this family-run setting welcomes children from age two and has 26 places in total. Its surroundings bring the field and park into nursery life through seasonal activities and special events.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding at its 6 June 2024 inspection and found safeguarding effective. The practical choice is between morning, afternoon and all-day sessions, with attendance during term time only. For parents, that combines a substantial inspection judgement with a timetable built around the school term rather than year-round childcare.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the learning and care framework: children develop communication, physical skills and social confidence alongside early literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding of the world. Montessori is the nursery's additional ethos, a child-centred approach that emphasises independence and creativity through everyday activities. It shapes routines as well as learning experiences.

Language has a clear place in the current approach. Staff model conversation and encourage children to communicate, while structured activities sit alongside freely chosen play. That gives children opportunities both to follow an adult's lead and to express their own ideas.

In June 2024, vocabulary teaching extended beyond hearing a new word once. Staff introduced three words through the week's book, then brought them back into conversations and activities. The repetition gave children opportunities to use the words in different contexts before moving to new material. Listening and attention were part of the same work, connecting the ability to follow a conversation with the confidence to contribute to it.

Children's interests also shaped activities that month. Dinosaur- and car-shaped beads drew children into threading, giving hand control a purpose linked to something they already enjoyed. Mathematics appeared throughout play: children discussed the characteristics of shapes and drew on earlier learning about their sides, faces and corners. These are concrete examples of learning being built into an activity rather than confined to a separate lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Pavilion on Sutherland Memorial Park is more than an address. The surrounding field and park support Sports Day, Easter Egg Hunt and Seasonal Walks, bringing movement, exploration and seasonal change into the nursery experience. Those named activities give families a useful sense of how the setting uses its immediate surroundings.

In June 2024, family experiences contributed to learning too. Parents had shared stories about their celebrations as children explored Lunar New Year in China. The value was in connecting cultural learning to people children knew, giving families a role in the nursery day rather than treating their traditions as an abstract topic.

Relationships and Communication

A key person approach sits within the nursery's Inclusion Strategy 2026–2029, alongside predictable routines, emotional coaching and consistent staffing. Quiet spaces, accessible resources and visual supports are part of its everyday arrangements. These give children several ways to understand what is happening and participate, including when spoken instructions alone are difficult to follow.

Tapestry is the online learning journal used for observations, assessments and communication with parents. Families can view pictures and updates about their own child, and newsletters and other information are shared there too. It gives parents a continuing view of nursery life beyond a conversation at the end of a session.

In June 2024, key people discussed children's learning, the next steps and ideas families could use at home. Parents also described help with referrals and changes between stages of care or education. That makes communication about practical next steps as well as updates on what a child has done.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found highly effective support for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, with the special educational needs coordinator working alongside parents, staff and early years professionals. Visual images, signing and small-group work were among the approaches used that month to help children join activities.

The current inclusion arrangements begin support when a need is identified, rather than waiting for a diagnosis. Adapted activities, extra thinking time, visual timetables and individual help are among the mechanisms, with parent consultation and referrals to external services where appropriate. For a family concerned about communication or participation, the useful detail is how these adjustments enter ordinary nursery routines.

In June 2024, everyday jobs also gave children responsibility. They helped prepare the snack table, poured drinks and dealt with spills, while handwashing routines connected independence with hygiene. Children practised recognising hazards and working out solutions with adults nearby to guide them. Preparation for the next stage therefore included managing daily tasks as well as learning words and numbers.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Sutherland Memorial Park, Clay Lane, Jacobs Well, Guildford, GU4 7JU. The nursery operates during term time, opening Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm.

Three attendance patterns are offered: morning sessions from 9am to 1pm, afternoon sessions from 1pm to 3pm, and all-day sessions from 9am to 3pm. The shorter afternoon gives a different option from the morning or complete nursery day. The contact route is peterrabbitburpham@gmail.com or 07931477947.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, and a funded place is not conditional on payment of the enhanced contribution. The funding information covers Funded Early Education for Two-Year-Olds (FEET), subject to eligibility, and Funded Early Education for Three and Four-Year-Olds (Universal Entitlement). Both describe up to 15 hours each week over 38 weeks, while the nursery itself operates term-time only.

Families using funding must complete the relevant application or declaration arrangements. FEET requires an application and notification to the chosen provider; the universal entitlement involves a parent declaration and proof of the child's identity. Current prices should come in the nursery's written quotation, with the enhanced contribution considered separately from the funded place.

• Term-time timetable. Morning, afternoon and all-day sessions all sit within the 9am to 3pm opening window. Families needing childcare through school holidays or later in the day should weigh that timetable against their working arrangements.
• Support in daily practice. The Inclusion Strategy 2026–2029 sets out visual supports, adapted learning and help before diagnosis. On a visit, ask how the key person would apply those arrangements to your child's communication and settling needs.
• Funding and the enhanced contribution. Payment of that contribution is not a condition of a funded place. Ask for a written breakdown of what it covers, including the arrangements for meals and non-food consumables.

Peter Rabbit Nursery suits families seeking morning, afternoon or all-day attendance during term time, with independence and language development central to the approach. The park setting adds recognisable experiences, while Tapestry provides a practical connection between nursery and home.

The June 2024 Outstanding judgement carries weight, and the detail beneath it is useful: vocabulary revisited through play, activities adapted to children's interests and support built into everyday routines. The deciding practical consideration is the timetable. For families whose childcare needs fit it, this is a compelling option with a clear educational character.