The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

6 Woodmansterne Lane, Banstead, SM7 3ES
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9.7 71 Reviews
  • The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School, Banstead
The Old Barn Day Nursery & Pre-Prep is a private day care Nursery situated in a beautiful listed building on Woodmansterne Lane. At The Old Barn Day Nursery & Pre-Prep, children have the opportunity to explore the outside world. There is a Forest School on site and it is an inspirational process that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees. A day in the life of a child at Forest School includes; Going on a bear hunt and finding the bear in the woods, making perfume and potions in the outdoor mud kitchen, whittling pieces of wood to make equipment for the session and enjoying hot chocolates/marshmallow round the fire pit.

The Old Barn Day Nursery & Pre-Prep was awarded a Good Ofsted rating in March 2023.

The Nursery is open full-time from 8:00am – 6:00pm caring for children from 3 months to 5 years.

The Nursery and staff's philosophy is that every child they care for deserves a calm, caring, safe and stimulating environment in which the children can learn through a robust curriculum. They provide opportunities based on children's interests and plan for their development on an individual basis throughout the terms.

The Old Barn Day Nursery & Pre-Prep have an onsite working Chef who prepares all the meals from fresh ingredients and plans balanced seasonal menus.
Show The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School on the Map

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Laura Malthouse (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 24

Total Places for Children

  • 42

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 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School Reviews (71)

9.7

The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.689) out of 10, based on 22 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School has 71 reviews.

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Total of 71, showing 21-40
Review from Adrian V (Father of Child) published on 5 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Both our children have and continue to attend Old Barn. Throughout this time although there have been several changes in management and setup the staff have had one thing at the forefront of their minds- the safety and happiness of our children. We cannot thank them enough for all they have done and
continue to do. Great nursery which is only getting better!
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Review from Sophie B (Mother of Child) published on 20 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5
This is the worst nursery I have ever seen. I am a mum of 3 so I know my nurseries.
If your child is in this nursery I urge for you to look deeper, there’s a reason why the turnover of managers is so high.
The nursery is disgusting and my child’s clothes were ruined on multiple occasions.
The care
here is poor.
Previously, Ofsted had ruled this inadequate and also known other parents to pull their child out of this nursery just like I had to.
Reply from Emma Hargrave, Marketing Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your review - unfortunately we were unaware of your feedback until this review. The setting is forest school based so clothes can get dirty as the children spend a lot of time outdoors.…read more
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Review from Charlotte W (Mother of Child) published on 13 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter joined The Old Barn Day Nursery in October 2021 at 8 months old. I viewed every nursery in a 6 mile radius of my house and none compared to this one. The ladies who run the baby's room are amazing, not only did they keep me updated regularly but they treat the babies like their own. My Daughter
is now in Pre Toddlers room and loves it just as much, similarly to babies the ladies who look after the pre toddlers are great (my daughter will lean straight in for a cuddle to whoever opens the door in the morning). Settings wise; they have a huge outdoor space with each room having its own “mini garden”. They have an abundance of toys and fun activities, great food and the people who work there always seem upbeat and positive. The manager has done a fantastic job running the nursery (even during covid lockdown which was tough on everyone). She’s created a family at the nursery and I honestly can’t sing their praises enough.
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Review from M P (Father of Child) published on 27 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5
I'll start with the beginning of the day. Whilst the staff are very welcoming at the front door, you have to wait on average 10 to 15 minutes each morning to drop off your child, greeting your child with open arms is very reassuring that your child is in safe hands. It is from this point as the door
closes things don't align with the wonderful website this nursery has to offer. This nursery has provided over 6 key workers for my child in the 18 months she has attended, not what I would class as consistent. The varied menus on offer (per the site) are not the reality of what your child will have. Yes, there are some allergies (one for my child) they need to consider but providing the same meal for three consecutive days is not what I would classify as a varied diet. My child requires additional support and we asked the nursery to make this change (with the support of government funding that would be provided to them should they fill out a form) has shown no sign of this support. Dissatisfied!
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Review from L R (Mother of Child) published on 12 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The experience and life skills my daughter has been receiving from the Old Barn has been amazing and she has grown so much in her confidence. They have a wonderful outside environment and she is able to enjoy the outside fresh air every day. The staff are friendly and welcoming.
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Review from Lauren M (Mother of Child) published on 4 October 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have sent all 3 of my children to the Old Barn (which speaks volumes) Both me and my children are so happy there. It really is a wonderful nursery, the staff are incredibly helpful, upbeat and trustworthy. I feel so comfortable leaving them in good hands. The new app for parent comms is also very
helpful and a lot more streamlined. I would and have recommended this nursery to others and will continue to do so.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review, we are delighted to hear your positive feedback.
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Review from B K (Mother of Child) published on 1 October 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The old Barn has helped my child settle fantastically and has a great ethos. I have been so happy with the support I have received so far. The staff have been so caring and kind to me and my child. I couldn’t recommend it enough.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review, we are delighted to hear your positive feedback.
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Review from Nicole H (Mother of Child) published on 27 September 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have had a very positive experience at The Old Barn; our daughter was there between the ages of 1-4 years and she was always happy to go and happy at pick up. The attentive, caring, fun and experienced staff ensured she settled in well and they supported her through important milestones, such as
potty training, with patience, encouragement and kindness. During the pandemic, they managed to stay open full time to provide secure support to the children at an uncertain time.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review, we are delighted to hear about your positive experience with us.
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Review from Joanne G (Mother of Child) published on 27 September 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The Old Barn Day Nursery is an amazing setting with very kind, friendly and supportive carers. My daughter was cared for from the age of 13 months up to nearly 4 and a half. The variety of activities they create really does engage the children and help them to grow and learn without realising. Having
a key worker when you have a sensitive child is very reassuring for both the child and parents. The daily updates via the App are also a great way to get an insight into your child's day. I would highly recommend this nursery as it has helped to nurture my daughter and give her a good head start as she starts her next journey at School.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review, we are delighted to hear about your positive experience with us.
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Review from S S (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All the staff at The Old Barn Day Nursery are super friendly. My daughter absolutely loves going to nursery and I think this says a lot about how much fun she has there. The staff have lots of energy and clearly try hard to make a fun filled environment for the toddlers. A huge reason we chose The Old
Barn Day Nursery was for this reason as well as the garden and so I'm pleased that she spends so much time in it.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review; we are delighted to hear how much your daughter enjoys her time with us.
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Review from James H (Father of Child) published on 29 March 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son's been going to this nursery for the past ten weeks. I've been extremely impressed with the staff's professionalism and the range of activities they do. I get emails every day with great pictures of the activities they are doing both inside and outside. The staff work very hard.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review; we are delighted to hear your positive feedback.
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Review from Noah K (Mother of Child) published on 17 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have been sending my son to this daycare for over a month and have seen the speed in which he is developing increase rapidly. The staff are super friendly and even the teachers not directly involved with my son recognise us, adding a lovely personal touch. The staff help support in things I am trying
to teach my son at home and this has definitely helped him develop certain habits a lot quicker than if I had been doing it alone. A wonderful daycare, with wonderful staff, highly recommended.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review, we are delighted to hear about your positive journey with us.
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Review from Joanne H (Mother of Child) published on 17 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My one year old started last week and I have been over the moon with the service, friendliness and contact with staff. I would strongly recommend them to any nervous parent! Staff have been really caring and attentive. Lovely nursery!
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review, we are delighted to hear about your positive journey with us so far.
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Review from Ellen M (Mother of Child) published on 22 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at The Old Barn Nursery for just over a month now and her development has been amazing. Since joining the toddler room her speech has improved rapidly, she has delayed speech but is now singing and chatting away all day and can't wait for her nursery days to start. The staff have
gone over and beyond in trying to help her, and it really shows. I was unsure of joining her at first, as she is my first child and we are always together, but this has honestly been the best decision we have made.
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Review from Rachel P (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has started at The Old Barn Nursery this week. The management and staff have done their utmost to settle my son into his new routine in the toddler room. He has been with me the majority of the time since he was born, so it was a big step for the both of us. Thank you to staff who have been extremely
reassuring, and I know that he will thrive at this nursery. It was his 3rd day today, and he ran in to see his key worker and started talking (his jabber) to her. It made me feel extremely happy to see how comfortable he felt already. I would highly recommend this nursery to other parents on our experience of our first week. Thank you to The Old Barn.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review; we are thrilled to hear how well your son is settling in with us.
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Review from alice p (Mother of Child) published on 13 August 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl started the end of July and has settled in really well. The girls in the room have been so good with her and she comes home so happy every time she’s been at nursery. The girls communicate really well with me and are happy to answer any questions or worries I have.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your kind review. We are delighted how much your daughter enjoys nursery and has settled in well.
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Review from Shorouk P (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
After visiting a lot of nurseries, I was so glad to have found The Old Barn Day Nursery. The facilities are fantastic (lovely outdoor space), with a small group environment for children not to feel so overwhelmed, but more a home from home and the team have been fantastic. The nursery manager really
took the time to show us around, answer our many questions and reassure us of how well they care for the children, I knew it was the right choice for my daughter. Special thanks to the manager and her team for going above and beyond from day one to settle my little girl and ease my first-time mum worry. The support has been tremendous and I trust them to offer the best care for my child, help her development and keep her happy while I’m not with her.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your lovely review. We are delighted to hear how much your daughter enjoys her time at nursery, especially our brilliant outdoor space.
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Review from Helen S (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My Daughter has been coming to the old barn since Feb 2020 - I was a very anxious, worried mum having a whole year off with her however I really didn't need to worry. The whole process from first inquiring, visiting and registering was so reassuring for me. After I registered I got a phone call from
the Manager confirming and arranging the settling in sessions. I was able to ask questions and my mind was put at ease. The settling in was excellent, the members of staff were welcoming, friendly and really made her feel part of the group from the offset. My daughter settled brilliantly and was happy and content. Since returning from lockdown the nursery has been amazing with how they have dealt with the social distancing rules and wrote to us weekly with updates and what the next stages were going to be. The manager personally called me to discuss our return and ease any concerns. The management team are efficient, supportive and approachable. I am a really happy mummy and so is my baby.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are so pleased to hear how you and your daughter have settled in well.
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Review from Ruple A (Mother of Child) published on 24 June 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I can’t thank the team at the Old Barn Day Nursery enough. They have all been outstanding and have really looked after my son very well. Like most, I was anxious about his return in June when they re-opened, but they have been very nurturing and he has settled back quickly. The activities they provide
are very engaging and my 23-month-old is very happy there. My older son (now 5) had a similar experience and enjoyed his time at The Old Barn.
I would highly recommend this day Nursery.
Reply from The Staff Team, Manager at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are so pleased to hear how your son is enjoying nursery, especially the activities we have.
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Review from Danielle C (Mother of Child) published on 4 November 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have only great things to say about The Old Barn. My 1-year-old son absolutely loves going to nursery. All the staff are always so welcoming and friendly and have a genuine warmth and love for my son.
I rarely had time apart from him and was a little apprehensive about sending him to nursery, however,
I couldn't be more pleased. An overall great team!
Reply from The Staff Team at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are absolutely thrilled to hear how much your son loves attending and how happy you are with the staff team.
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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.689)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.689) out of 10 for The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 22 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 21 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 4.689 for The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School is calculated as follows: ( (224 Excellents x 5) + (22 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) + (12 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 264 Ratings = 4.689
  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 The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School is based on 21 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 42 number of registered child places is 8.4, which has been reached with 21 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)

Laura

Laura Malthouse

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2023

My name is Laura and I have over 10 years experience working in the Early Years sector. I have roles such as Designated Safeguarding Lead, SENCo and Fire Warden. I pride myself on creating stimulating, enabling environments which allow children to learn through their play and have the freedom to express themselves in a supported environment.


I aim to ensure that the setting is a warm, natural and a home from home environment so the children are comfortable to explore. I love the outdoors and feel that the children should always have the freedom to choose if they would like to be indoors or outdoors. I take pride in always putting the children at the centre of everything we do here at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Pre-Prep.

Amber

Amber Gower

Job Title: Deputy Manager Joined: 2013

My name is Amber and I have over 10 years experience working in the Early Years Sector. I pride myself in working closely with families to support the children with reaching their milestones across all ages at the setting. I keep myself up to date with all legislation and trends within the nursery sector and I imbed these across my whole team. I am a qualified Designated Safeguarding Lead for Surrey County Council and I use this training to ensure all children, families and staff are safe within the Old Barn Day Nursery and Pre Prep.


My main focus is to provide a calm, warm and homely environment where children and families feel comfortable and safe whilst they are with us. I am incredibly strong on parent partnerships and throughout the year I organise events to have the parents involved in their child's journey.

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