Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

1A, Wey Court, Godalming GU7 3JE
Review Us
8.7 65 Reviews
Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family is Godalming’s hidden gem for childcare, and has a great reputation for high quality childcare and educational provision. The nursery recently had a makeover. They improved and increased the inside and outdoor space; created new rooms for both toddlers and pre-schoolers enabling them to have focussed learning activities and have created a brighter, updated environment for all.
Rocking Horse is a happy, friendly, safe and secure nursery focussed on offering a home-from-home experience for your child, where care for your child is at the centre of everything they do.

Rocking Horse runs a fun learning and social environment where your child can flourish and grow in confidence. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. Children of all ages are happy and confident owing to the good partnership between parents, staff and children, which helps staff to meet the individual needs of the children.
... Read more
Show Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family on the Map

Type of Service

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

Person in charge

  • Amanda Goacher (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 18

Total Places for Children

  • 60

Age Range

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

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 & Christmas

Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family Reviews (65)

Total of 65, showing 1-20
8.7

Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family has a Review Score of 8.7 (8.683) out of 10, based on 6 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family has 65 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 61
  • 4
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Date Published

65
6
6
6
59

Review from Hugh S (Father of Child) published on 28 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my children have been at the nursery since they were around 6 months old. The nursery is a warm welcoming environment where they genuinely care about the children, both their wellbeing and development. Our kids have loved it. Children have plenty of time to get messy, go outside, learn about new
cultures, each others and themselves.


The children get to go outside wherever possible, try loads of different foods and even see chicken being born.


I wish I could go.

Reply from Jess Robertson, Social Media Co-Ordinator at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you so much for sharing this lovely feedback! We are so glad to hear that both of your children have had such positive experiences with us since they were little. It's wonderful that they've had the chance to explore, learn, and grow in such a nurturing environment. We believe in providing rich, hands-on experiences and it's amazing to hear they've enjoyed everything from outdoor play to watching the chicks hatch! Thank you for taking the time to write such a kind review!

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Jodie S (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are amazing, my daughter is always so excited to tell us about all the activities she has been doing.
Management are very approachable and have great realistic advice.
I could not recommend rocking horse enough to others.

Reply from Jess Robertson, Social Media Co-Ordinator at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter loves sharing her nursery adventures and that our team has made such a positive impact. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are grateful for your lovely review!

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from J H (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A lovely welcoming nursery with friendly staff who are interested and engaged with your child's development both in and out of nursery. Child speaks about varied activities they have done each day from drawing and other creative pursuits to outdoor play, park outings and water tray play as well as much
more. It has recently changed hands and is overseen by a larger chain of nurseries now this has caused a few teething issues with food (they tried to make it more fancy) which means the kids are as keen on the food but once this is straightened out it is a great nursery filled with care.

Reply from Jess Robertson, Social Media Co-Ordinator at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you for your kind words! We're so pleased to hear that you find our nursery welcoming and that our team's dedication to each child's development shines through. It's wonderful to know that your child enjoys various activities and shares their nursery adventures with you! We also appreciate your honest feedback regarding the recent changes, we truly value the patience and support of our families and ensuring that our children enjoy mealtimes while maintaining a balanced and nutritious menu is a priority and we're working hard to get it just right.Thank you again for your review!

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Kate S (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my children have been at Rocking horse since they were 10 months old. My eldest is now 3.5y, youngest is 17m. They love it there, they have a wonderful time and I drop them off knowing they are happy and safe. Rocking horse work with parents to ensure children's diet and sleep are kept as close
to how they are at home as possible.

Reply from Jess Robertson, Social Media Co-ordinator at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you so much for your kind words! We're so happy to hear that your children have had such a positive experience with us since they were young. It's wonderful to know they enjoy their time here and feel safe and happy. We're also glad that our team has been able to work closely with you to maintain their routines. Thank you for wonderful review!

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from E H (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The rocking horse have been fantastic since my daughter started attending a year ago. They have been so attentive and truly care for her. They've always gone above and beyond, and even supported early potty training and the fact that she is learning two languages. She has so much fun and loves her days
there!

Reply from Jess Robertson, Social Media Co-ordinator at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! We're pleased to hear that your daughter has had such a positive experience with us. It's wonderful to know that we've been able to support her in so many ways, from potty training to learning two languages. We're thrilled she has so much fun and feels cared for - we truly enjoy watching her grow and thrive. Thank you!

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from D W (Father of Child) published on 11 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The change of menu and app are not helpful for the kids. I am not happy that the staff are repeatedly telling me he hasn't eaten lunch. And the app is frankly rubbish compared to the excellent app they used previously, that was much more child centered and outcome focused. I'm planning to email management
as the new owners have come in and made changes that no-one, kids, parents or staff seem happy with.

Reply from Amy Dolan, Marketing Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you for your honest review. While we have moved away from our previous meal supplier, we now have an on-site chef who prepares fresh, balanced meals daily, including desserts. This also allows us to offer cooking sessions as part of our extra-curricular activities. Our menus, created with a nutritionist, are reviewed regularly to use seasonal ingredients, and we'll soon share our cookbook and weaning plan with parents. Regarding the app, we've been working with EY to enhance usability, and updates have already been made. We welcome further feedback to help improve functionality. Learning outcomes and progress are still shared via EYLog as before, but please let us know if any enhancements would be helpful. Changes to acquired nurseries are carefully assessed to enhance care and education. Please share any feedback with your Nursery Manager or email me at amy.dolan@isteplearning.co.uk. We appreciate your input.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Jo J (Mother of Child) published on 15 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son and daughter have attended Rocking Horse Nursery since they were 6 months old. They absolutely love it there! The staff turnover is incredibly low which makes such a difference and they are all so thoughtful and kind towards the children. My son will be sad to leave for school in September as
he has such strong relationships with the staff. I have been very impressed with the nursery, especially when you hear from others about their own experiences elsewhere. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a wonderful nursery for their child.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

We are going to miss him very much, but excited we will see him after school. It has been lovely having them both here and we still have little miss for a while.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Olivia G (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are always saying how glad we are that our daughter attends Rocking Horse Nursery. It has been a really positive experience in every respect. She always looks forward to going in and the staff are, without fail, friendly, enthusiastic and caring. I would recommend it without hesitation.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Your little lady has settled in so well and always has a smile on her face. We love having her at the nursery.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Kate B (Mother of Child) published on 2 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child is so happy going to nursery here. The staff are kind and really enthusiastic about being with the children. You can tell it is not just a job but that they really love being there and that is also reflected in their excellent staff retention. They make the day super fun for the children, tailored
to their interests and always different. They have a new outdoor area that is fun and varied. Communication is excellent and they give the children some great opportunities like raising ducklings and doing music and Spanish lessons. I would highly recommend the nursery.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you for your kind words. We all do love our job and helping the children grow in all aspects.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from J K (Mother of Child) published on 2 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Rocking Horse Nursery has been the most wonderful place for our children. The staff are dedicated, nurturing and fun, making the nursery a warm and inviting place to be. Our children enjoy dancing, singing, learning Spanish, visiting local neighbours, celebrating national events, baking and so much
more. Communication is excellent and we always feel well informed of our child’s development and their day-to-day activities. Would recommend Rocking Horse to anyone!

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Awww thank you! We love having your two at the nursery and will be sad when the big one goes too school.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Olga T (Mother of Child) published on 1 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Incredible nursery with excellent care. We have felt from day 1 that the staff genuinely care about each child, get to know them really well, and encourage them to grow and help them develop. They are sensible with illnesses and don't send kids home for no reason at the slightest sneeze (we hear of
so many others facing this issue). We can safely say no one else we know has had such a good experience! Our child always smiles when we ask him about his day and the staff!

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

It has been lovely to watch your little man grow. It has been a joy to have him at the nursery.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from R S (Mother of Child) published on 1 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic staff who genuinely care about each child. My child loves it there - he runs in happily every day and has developed so many skills and interests based on the hard work they put in.
The set up is great for the kids - the new garden is great - and the most important thing is the people who
are all lovely.

Reply from Amanda Goacher, Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you! We look forward to watching him grow.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Lauren S (Mother of Child) published on 1 June 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I could not recommend Rocking Horse Nursery highly enough, I’ve never experienced a nursery in the past that my child was so happy to attend - she really looks forward to going every day! The staff are all such wonderful people and truly care about each and every child.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you for this. We love having her here and seeing her develop her own little character.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from J R (Father of Child) published on 30 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our 2 year old daughter has a great time every day at Rocking Horse Nursery in Godalming. The staff are kind, caring and organised and are always willing to accommodate us in anything related to diet, behaviour, routines, etc. We would highly recommend.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you! We have loved having her at the nursery. She has slotted in and adapted so well.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Suzie L (Mother of Child) published on 26 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We love this nursery. We've had one or both children here for several years now, and have been so pleased with the care they've received, the breadth of activities, and just generally how happy they have been. The staff are so kind and have given our children such a special start.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

It has been lovely watching both the children grow and thrive at the nursery. We have enjoyed watching them both grow into lovely children.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Toby M (Father of Child) published on 25 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my son (who is currently attending) and daughter (previously attended) love Rocking Horse Nursery. The team are great, and provide a safe and stimulating environment for the children and all the staff know the kids names even if they are not their key worker. The nursery has great facilities with
a private play area which feels very safe. My son has had great fun since his first day. He has made friends and developed socially, which is something we really wanted post pandemic. Even our older daughter who is now at primary school, still talks fondly of her time at Rocking Horse due to the great time she had there! I am very happy we chose Rocking Horse for both our children and couldn't recommend them enough!

Reply from Natalie Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

We will miss seeing his cheeky smile in the mornings. It has been lovely having both of the children and will be sad to see you all go.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Jen T (Mother of Child) published on 25 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend Rocking Horse Nursery enough.
My twins love the staff, the environment and everything about the nursery.
One of my boys has additional needs and has come on in leaps and bounds. His confidence grows by the day and he always leaves with a smile on his face. Nothing is too much trouble
for the team. We will be very sad to say goodbye to the nursery when the boys go to school later on this year!

Reply from Natalie Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

It has been lovely watching both the boys grow. We will all miss them here when they start their new adventure at school.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Roxanne O (Mother of Child) published on 28 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter joined the nursery in September 2021. Since joining her confidence has grown tremendously. My daughter is behind on her development and the nursery has done a fantastic job in dealing with this, as well as teaching my child to self feed herself with confidence! Her needs are met and I have
full confidence in her being in the Shetlands room. The staff are fantastic, and I am pretty sure my daughter is their shadows throughout the day! I love that my daughter is so happy at the end of the day, she loves it there and is thriving with all aspects of her development! I highly recommend the Rocking Horse Nursery to any parent in Godalming.

Reply from Amanda Goacher, Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you for your kind words. She has thrived so much and it is lovely seeing her smile and happy.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Celia P (Mother of Child) published on 28 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I couldn't recommend Rocking Horse enough to any parents looking for a nursery in the area, from the moment my child started there he has enjoyed every moment and I can truly say he is a happy little boy whilst attending, all the staff are so invested in the children and make everyday fun and special.

Reply from Nat Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Thank you, he is always so happy. It's like he has been at the nursery forever and had made lots of friends.

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Hugo W (Father of Child) published on 22 April 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son is very happy and always enjoys his time at the nursery. The staff are brilliant at helping with his anxiety about coming in in the morning and he returns home beaming about the activities he has undertaken. Everyone is friendly, helpful and supportive of his learning and development and I would
recommend the nursery to anyone considering it for their child.

Reply from Natalie Jones, Deputy Manager at Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

He is such a character and has settled so well into the big room. Thank you for your kind comments

Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Current Review Score: 8.7 (8.683)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.7 (8.683) out of 10 for Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 6 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.1 out of 5 from 6 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.583 for Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family is calculated as follows: ( (52 Excellents x 5) + (14 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) + (2 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 72 Ratings = 4.583

  • b) 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 4.1 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family is based on 6 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 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 = 3.6

    • ii) 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 60 number of registered child places is 12. 6 Positive Reviews ÷ 12 = 0.5

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • 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

News (0) & Events (0)

News

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events for Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

Previous Events

Awards / Recognitions (7)

Top 20 Mid-size Nursery Groups 2025

Recipient: The Nursery Family

Date: Monday 31 Mar 2025 More details

Top 20 Mid-size Nursery Groups 2024

Recipient: The Nursery Family

Date: Thursday 28 Mar 2024 More details

Top 20 Mid-size Nursery Groups 2023

Recipient: The Nursery Family

Date: Friday 28 Apr 2023 More details

Meet the Team (0)

There are no Team Members posted yet

Frequently Asked Questions about Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family

What is the Age Range of Children that Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family accepts?

Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family Open?

Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family is open: 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.

How many Children does Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family have capacity for?

Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family has capacity for a total of 60 Children.

How far is Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family to the centre of Godalming?

1.1 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 Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Rocking Horse at The Nursery Family has an Enhanced Service - more info.