Friends Forest Nursery - Ash

Manor Road, Ash, Aldershot GU12 6QH
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9.9 106 Reviews
  • Friends Forest Nursery - Ash, Aldershot
Friends Forest Nursery Ash is a nursery with a difference. Situated in the Surrey Hills, this Forest School Nursery inspires children with a hands-on approach to learning both indoors and out.

At Forest School, children will be encouraged to discover, explore, observe and question what they find in their outdoor environment by: making dens; exploring tracks; using simple hand tools to make wooden objects; creating art; playing and climbing; finding and identifying wildlife; creating and following maps; enjoying stories and songs… in all weather and in all seasons.

The staff team work with parents to ensure children develop socially, intellectually, culturally, physically and emotionally in a caring and secure environment.

Back in the classroom, the nursery's philosophy is that every child they care for deserves a calm, caring, safe and stimulating environment in which to learn.



The nursery offers children nutritionally-balanced, home-cooked meals.

Children also take part in a range of extra curricular activities which promote your child’s well-being and confidence.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Danielle Brennan (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 18

Total Places for Children

  • 45

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Please contact us for a copy of our current fees or for any information on funding.

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Friends Forest Nursery - Ash Reviews (106)

9.9

Friends Forest Nursery - Ash has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.892) out of 10, based on 10 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Friends Forest Nursery - Ash has 106 reviews.

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Review from Jo W (Mother of Child) published on 21 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter joined the Baby Room at Friends Forest Nursery in September 2025 and we have been delighted with the care that she receives each day that she attends. The settling in process was well thought out and smooth and our daughter settled in to nursery life very quickly. The nursery is safe and
welcoming. Staff are friendly, kind and attentive; they have established a wonderful relationship with our daughter! Staff always provide engaging and enjoyable learning throughout the day which is then shared via the communication app. We have really appreciated receiving updates throughout the day, furthermore receiving information about planned observations and recommendations of how we could further support learning at home. After only a few months, we can already see how much progress our daughter has made and how much she is thriving! We cannot thank the staff enough for all that they do for her.
Reply from Danielle Brennan, Nursery Manager at Friends Forest Nursery - Ash
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback - it is an absolute pleasure to look after your little one! She is thriving and t is so lovely to watch her grow!
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Review from James G (Father of Child) published on 20 November 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Friends Forest has been a wonderful place for our child to learn and grow. The staff are caring, attentive, and genuinely interested in our child's development. Our daughter has become more confident, social and curious since joining, and it's clear the team creates a nurturing and stimulating environment
every day. Communication with parents is excellent, and we always feel informed and reasured. We couldn't be happier with the care and support our child receives at Friends Forest.
Reply from Danielle Brennan, Nursery Manager at Friends Forest Nursery - Ash
Thank you so much for your feedback, it is a pleasure to look after her!
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Review from M A (Father of Child) published on 12 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Everyone is friendly and the kids love their teachers. Our son eats and plays well all day and hasn't had any issues whatsoever thanks to the team for looking after him so well. The outdoor space is great as well and in summer our son was loving out there every da
Reply from Danielle Brennan, Nursery Manager at Friends Forest Nursery - Ash
Thank you so much for your kind words, It is a pleasure to look after him :)
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Review from L D (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter loves coming to Friends! The staff and management went out of their way to settle her in and make us feel at ease. Leaving your baby to go back to work is tough but knowing she is so well cared for has made it so much easier for me and for us as a family. The babies enjoy outdoor walks,
music, stories and songs, alongside other great activities which provide great learning opportunities. Our daughter now enjoys showing us the hand movements to songs she has been learning at nursery. The food is also fabulous with a vast nutritional menu.
We are so pleased we found a wonderful, loving and playful place for our daughter to learn, have fun and thrive.
Thank you to all the staff at Friends! You all do an amazing job.
Reply from Danielle Brennan, Nursery Manager at Friends Forest Nursery - Ash
Thank you for taking the time to write such lovely words.
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Review from Kieran L (Father of Child) published on 4 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friends forest is a brilliant nursery. My son has been going since July last year and started very young. I was so assured he was being looked after by the best people possible. He has made such a connection with the team so far and he is always happy to go.
Reply from Danielle Brennan, Nursery Manager at Friends Forest Nursery - Ash
Thank you so much for your feedback. It is a pleasure to care for them.
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Review from L M (Mother of Child) published on 26 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friends is a wonderful nursery and my son and daughter are so happy there. The manager and her team are so responsive, the staff are exceptional, and the activities so varied that my children have come on leaps and bounds since they started 3 years and 1 year ago. The forest school element is also a
huge bonus. The only thing I complain about is that Friends makes it next to impossible to find a school for next year that could possibly compare! I can't recommend them highly enough.
Reply from Danielle Brennan, Nursery Manager at Friends Forest Nursery - Ash
Thank you for your review. It's so wonderful to hear! It's been a pleasure having them.
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Review from K L (Mother of Child) published on 30 September 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started at Friends Forest 18 months ago in the baby room and is now in the toddler room. The staff are exceptional. They go above and beyond, always, and are 100% committed to giving the very best care and education. My son loves to be outdoors and Friends is perfect for that. He loves to come
home and tell me all about his forest walks. He's made great friends and has a lovely bond with the staff. I signed my second child up at the first opportunity. This really is a fantastic nursery.
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Review from N G (Mother of Child) published on 29 May 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started at Forest Friends September 2023. He settled in straight away and made a great bond with all the baby room staff. My son looks forward to going to nursery every week and walks in happy and confident. He loves reading, the food and outdoor activities. All the staff are very friendly and
welcoming. This is very reassuring for us as parents and we could not ask for a better nursery!
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Review from D K (Mother of Child) published on 20 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We love Friends of the Forest! Our daughter looks forward to nursery days and has the best time there. All the nursery teachers are amazing and so are the rest of the team. It’s the best possible place to learn, have fun and make friends. Thank you!
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Review from Jenna D (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son joined this month at the nursery. Being 5 months, I was a little apprehensive about him starting but the staff have made me so at ease. The 4 settles pre-starting made me feel so much more relaxed about him starting this January.
The staff are so welcoming and really care about your child. My
son comes home so happy.
I love the updates on the app, especially the photos.
Thank you so much for all your hard work ladies. I appreciate you all so much.
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Review from A G (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We've been so impressed with how the staff at Friends Forest Nursery have helped our 1 year old settle into the baby room the last couple of months. It hasn't been the easiest process as we'd never spent that much time apart before, but the team have been excellent at keeping us informed and coming
up with useful tips to make the process easier.
Our little boy is now eating and sleeping well there and most importantly having fun! The outdoor space is excellent, the food is better than he gets at home and the staff are all so kind and really care about the children under their care. I cannot recommend this nursery enough.
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Review from Ella R (Mother of Child) published on 11 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves going to nursery so much! He smoothly transitioned between the baby room to the toddler room. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and always have time to answer any of my questions. They spend loads of time outside which is my son's favourite place! I would highly recommend and make
sure we had registered our second before he was born to make sure he has the same experience!
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Review from Abbie C (Mother of Child) published on 9 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friends Forest Nursery is a brilliant nursery. Our daughter has attended the nursery for over a year and she loves her days here. The nursery staff are excellent and always go above and beyond for our daughter. The activities which they do within the day are brilliant. I was lucky enough to come to
a mother's day afternoon tea, the chef created a delicious spread of cakes and sandwiches which we enjoyed. We enjoy receiving updates on our daughter's time at nursery via the weekly newsletter, the daily app and attending parent's evening. We love sending her to nursery every week as we know she will always have a wonderful time.
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Review from Charlotte W (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I will be honest and say as a mum I initially chose Forest Friends because I live 1 minute away from the nursery. However, I could not be happier with the decision to send my daughter to this establishment. The staff are like a mini family which is just the loveliest environment for children (and parents)!
The management team also care and invest in their staff by offering development opportunities along with promotions which are visible to parents via a weekly newsletter. The chef cooks great, healthy food but is also more than a chef because she takes the time to be with the children as well. Love the new app so you can see in real-time how the day is going and it's really easy to communicate with staff. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this nursery to any parent in the local area. You won't be disappointed and can breathe a sigh of relief that your little ones are being given the highest quality of care.
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Review from Vicki R (Mother of Child) published on 21 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot recommend Friends Forest Nursery (Ash) enough! My daughter started in the toddler room and attends Preschool and my son has recently started in the baby room. Each room is fantastic and the staff are very knowledgeable in each room. Every single staff member is lovely and they all go above
and beyond. I have no doubt that my children not only have fun and learn new things but they are also well cared for and safe. The nursery are great with different events and holidays such as Christmas and even dressing up for St Davids's day! Everything is fun but the children also get to learn so much.
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Review from Samantha H (Mother of Child) published on 21 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I genuinely can’t recommend Friends Forest Nursery - Ash enough. Everyone from practitioners to room leaders to managers, to the in-house chef are genuinely so lovely! Always such a warm welcome in the morning from everyone when I drop my little boy off. He absolutely loves it there and runs off to
play as soon as we get there. They have an app which enables them to keep me updated throughout the day with how long he’s slept, what he’s eaten etc which makes me feel connected. He’s always very well fed and the menu is amazing! The team are so invested in their growth and development and this is clear from all the activities they do with the kids. The facilities are really clean and they also spend a lot of time outside exploring which is a big winner for me. My little boy has been going there for nearly a year now and been in two age rooms since and both teams are just amazing and seem to genuinely care. I can’t thank them enough for making me feel at ease leaving my little man with them
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Review from D B (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has recently started with Friends Forest Nursery and I am so pleased with how she has settled in so well to the nursery. All staff are so caring and show they genuinely care for all children, not just our daughter. I am kept well up to date on her day, how she has eaten and what she has
been doing through the app and conversation at pick-up time. My daughter seems really happy at Friends Forest and I am so happy she enjoys it. Thank you!
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Review from Madeleine B (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely fantastic nursery. The staff are just brilliant, my son has been going here since he was 12 months old and he loves it. The staff are incredible with my son and really put my mind at ease. They keep me updated regularly and I love getting the weekly newsletter of everything they’ve been doing
that week.
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Review from M P (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son adores going to nursery and that is because of the wonderful team at Friends Forest Nursery Ash. They are caring and understanding of his needs, they encourage learning and life skills and they keep me informed of his progress so I can work with them to make sure my son is hitting key milestones.
I have no worries about the care he receives, my husband and I really don't have a bad word to say about this nursery!
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Review from Anna H (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has attended Friends Forest Nursery in Ash since they were 5 months old and has thrived being there! All of the staff (key person, room staff, kitchen staff, and management) have been super friendly and amazingly supportive. It has been a pleasure hearing about all the exciting activities my
child does during the day while I’m at work and getting the art work they bring home! The standard of care is exceptional, the food provided is fantastic quality and the menu is varied and always looks delicious! I have already recommended the nursery to multiple friends and would be more than happy to send other children there.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.892)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.892) out of 10 for Friends Forest Nursery - Ash is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 10 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 10 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.892 for Friends Forest Nursery - Ash is calculated as follows: ( (107 Excellents x 5) + (13 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 120 Ratings = 4.892
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Friends Forest Nursery - Ash is based on 10 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 45 number of registered child places is 9, which has been reached with 10 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (8)

Meet the Team (2)

Danielle

Danielle Brennan

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2022

Danielle has been the manager of Friends since 2024, she has a level 3 in childcare.

Jaycee

Jaycee Taylor

Job Title: Deputy Manager Joined: 2022

Jaycee has been the deputy manager since June 2024, she has been at friends since 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions about Friends Forest Nursery - Ash

What is the Age Range of Children that Friends Forest Nursery - Ash accepts?

Friends Forest Nursery - Ash accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Friends Forest Nursery - Ash Open?

Friends Forest Nursery - Ash is open: Monday 07:30-18:30, Tuesday 07:30-18:30, Wednesday 07:30-18:30, Thursday 07:30-18:30, Friday 07:30-18:30.

How many Children does Friends Forest Nursery - Ash have capacity for?

Friends Forest Nursery - Ash has capacity for a total of 45 Children.

How far is Friends Forest Nursery - Ash to the centre of Aldershot?

1.9 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Friends Forest Nursery - Ash to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Friends Forest Nursery - Ash has an Enhanced Service - more info.