Growing Up Green Nursery

208 Preston Road, Preston, Brighton BN1 6RA
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9.8 50 Reviews
  • Growing Up Green Nursery, Brighton
Growing Up Green nursery fosters a holistic approach to early childhood development, emphasising the well-being of each child through nurturing care, curiosity-driven learning, and a commitment to sustainability. The dedicated team creates a warm, inclusive environment where children aged from birth to five years are encouraged to explore, learn, and grow at their own pace. With a focus on building strong relationships, the nursery ensures that every child feels valued and supported. Through organic meals, environmental awareness, and a curriculum that balances structured activities with creative play, Growing Up Green nurtures confident, independent learners ready to embark on their educational journey.

Staff are skilled and experienced, equipped to achieve best practice and up-to-date with key EYFS and Ofsted goals.
The Preston Road Nursery is the closest Day Nursery to Preston Park station, with flexible opening hours from 7:30 AM, making it perfect for stress free drop offs and collections!

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Emma Somenzi (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 17

Total Places for Children

  • 59

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • Prices for 9 month - 2 year old-Funded
    1 full day: £40.80/month- using 10 hours of funding/week
    2 full days: £81.60/month- using 20 hours of funding/week
    3 full days: £375.70/month- using the full entitlement of 22 hours of funding/ week
    4 full days: £692.33/month- using the full entitlement of 22 hours of funding/ week
    5 full days: £908.15/month-using the full entitlement of 22 hours of funding/week


    Hourly rate: £7.45
    Food: £9.60/day


    3 year old funding prices:
    1 full day: £129.55 /month- using 8 hours of funding/week
    2 full days: £259.08/month-using 16 hours of funding/week
    3 full days : £485.00/ month-using full entitlement of 22 hours of funding/week
    4 full days: £795.00/month- using full entitlement of 22 hours of funding /week
    5 full days: £1028.50/month-using full entitlement of 22 hours of funding/week


    Hourly rate: £10.25
    Food: £9.60/day
    Enhanced curriculum: £8.00/day


    Non funded Fees:
    1 day/ week - £318.75
    2 days/ week - £637.50
    3 days/ week - £956.25
    4 days/ week - £1275.00
    5 days/ week - £1514.06
    These fees include all food/consumables/cotton bottom nappies/sun cream.

  • The standard 15 or 30 hours of funding is stretched over 51 weeks, allowing a maximum of 11 hours ( if only eligible for the 15 hours of funding- this applies to 3 year old's only) or 22 hours (if eligible for the full 30 hours of funding) per week.


    Our daily price for food includes all snacks/organic milk/lunch and dinner- we source predominately organic produce when and where possible.


    All our meals are lovingly prepared on-site by our experienced, full time chef. She uses fresh, high quality ingredients to create a delicious and nutritious range of snacks, lunches and dinners.


    We cater for all dietary needs and preferences. Our menus change seasonally to offer variety and reflect the best of what each season has to offer.


    Enhanced curriculum ( 3 year old's only)
    We offer a range of enriching extras that are not covered by the government funding such as:
    Trips/ Music Mike/Yoga/Forest School /sun cream- these are just some of the many added experiences we provide to enhance your child's learning and enjoyment at nursery.


    We offer funded only places, depending on availability and on our quieter days, please contact the office for further information.

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:15-18:00
    Tuesday 07:15-18:00
    Wednesday 07:15-18:00
    Thursday 07:15-18:00
    Friday 07:15-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas time

Parking

  • Parents, Carers and Visitor can park on Harrington Road and Knoyle road which are adjacent to the nursery. There are parking restriction during the hours of 9am until 10 am and 2pm until 3pm.

9.8

Growing Up Green Nursery has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.847) out of 10, based on 12 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Growing Up Green Nursery has 50 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
  • 50
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Reviewer Connection to Growing Up Green Nursery
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Review from Lucy C (Mother of Child) published on 13 February 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery staff know my child and encourage her to get involved in all sorts of brilliant activities.
She is happy and contented at the nursery, telling me about the fun she had with the staff and her friends.
She is nurtured and cared for while I work, I feel I couldn’t have found a better nursery.
All the staff are friendly and happy, nothing is too much trouble.
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Review from Adam W (Father of Child) published on 13 February 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Truly excellent nursery. We have two kids at Growing Up Green Nursery and both are extremely happy there. Excellent care from the brilliant staff that genuinely care, are interested and enjoy looking after young children. Creative, nurturing activities and games throughout the rooms with a good balance
between fun and learning.
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Review from Catherine M (Mother of Child) published on 13 February 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I can’t recommend Growing Up Green, Preston Road highly enough, my son is ever so happy there. When we were choosing a nursery a year and a half ago, we actually looked at Growing Up Green as an afterthought - having already chosen a different nursery locally, and we were so glad we did as we came away
as a family very sure that this was by far the best nursery we’d seen (out of 4 in the area). The staff are all lovely, and I feel my son is very well cared for.
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Review from Sarah W (Mother of Child) published on 12 February 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Very good. My son loves going there he clearly gets everything he needs. He loves the activities. I think the nursery has lots of stimulation and the garden is great. Food is good.
The reports that are done are clear and informative and very relatable to my son.
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Review from Elaine M (Mother of Child) published on 22 September 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son attended Growing Up Green on Preston Road from the age of 9 months and has just left to start school. We have been very happy with the quality of service provided. It is a small nursery with a nurturing environment and our son has always enjoyed spending time there. Staff come across as very
professional and the nursery is well managed. My son was diagnosed with autism when he was 3. The nursery made an application for funding towards a 1-1 worker and dealt with this in a professional manner before we were even aware he was eligible for extra support. They went the extra mile to ensure that the person they employed was the best possible person to work with my son which has made a huge difference to his development.
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Review from Jo H (Mother of Child) published on 20 June 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves going to Growing Up Green. He loves all his Aunties and Uncles who are always thinking up fun and exciting things for the Toddlers to do, from building castles and their own train station to watching caterpillars turn into butterflies.
A musician comes every Friday to play his guitar
and my son doesn't stop talking about him all weekend. He loves the garden, which is really big and has lots of different activities for the children. The food is great and the staff have always been supportive and very friendly.
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Review from Ayanna (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my daughters have attended Growing Up Green Nursery from babies and they love it here! The staff are warm and approachable and the curriculum is varied and engaging. We continue to see how both children are flourishing, based on their experiences and interactions at nursery. A particular reason
I would recommend this nursery, is that they have four rooms from babies through to preschool, so play and learning is focused really well to these age groups. Highly recommended!!
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Review from Jennifer H (Mother of Child) published on 13 June 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot recommend Growing Up Green highly enough. We were originally recommended by a friend who's son attended, and so both my boys have attended over the last 3 years. The staff are all so friendly and caring and both boys loved going every day and thrived here. My youngest still attends and he has
developed strong relationships with staff and other children. The food is great, and the nursery and garden are a lovely environment. Any communications I've had with the management staff have always been dealt with professionally and swiftly. 10 out of 10.
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Review from Lucy M (Mother of Child) published on 13 June 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been at Growing Up Green since he turned one in the summer of 2013. He is starting school this September and I can honestly say that he has been so happy at nursery. We have been extremely impressed with the quality of childcare provided over the past 3 years.
He has flourished and loved
going for his 2 days a week and formed close caring relationships with the wonderful staff. He has been stimulated and nurtured and had lots of fun. I would not hesitate to recommend this nursery to anyone.
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Review from Catherine G (Mother of Child) published on 19 April 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at GUG for nearly four years and will soon be leaving to start school in September. I cannot praise the nursery highly enough. The standard of care provided throughout her time there has been exceptional and she has been extremely happy and settled since she started as a baby.
As other reviewers have mentioned, it is the staff that make it such a wonderful place - they are caring and kind and they really know the children individually and treat them with respect and affection. The food they are given is wonderful and home-made with an amazing lunch and snacks included in the daily rate. As a family, we have been so happy with GUG and would recommend them to any parent looking for the best nursery for their children.
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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.847)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.847) out of 10 for Growing Up Green Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 12 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 12 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 4.847 for Growing Up Green Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (123 Excellents x 5) + (20 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 144 Ratings = 4.847
  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 Growing Up Green Nursery is based on 12 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 59 number of registered child places is 11.8, which has been reached with 12 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 (1)

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Meet the Team (4)

Emma

Emma Somenzi

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2024

Hello, I’m Emma, the Nursery Manager at Growing Up Green. I’m originally from Italy and have been living in Brighton since 2016 — a city I now proudly call home. I have over 8 years of experience in childcare, working with children aged 5 months to 4 years, and I joined the Growing Up Green family in January 2024.


My passion for childcare began at an early age. Growing up in a big Italian family, I was surrounded by nieces and cousins from when I was just three years old. Being part of their lives inspired me to turn this love into a career. I particularly enjoy building strong bonds with children and parents during settling-in periods, and tailoring activities to each child’s interests to help them grow in confidence, curiosity, and independence.


As Nursery Manager, I’m equally passionate about supporting and developing my team. I believe that nurturing staff growth, sharing knowledge, and creating a collaborative environment are essential for providing the best care and learning experiences for every child.


Outside of work, I love reading, going to the cinema, and treating myself occasionally to a spa day with my husband or friends.

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Clare Crosby-Adams

Job Title: Nursery Proprietor Joined: 2010

I have been the co-owner of Growing Up Green Nurseries since we opened our doors in 2005.


Childcare has always been a central part of my life- I grew up living above a nursery owned by my family, which gave me a real love and understanding of Early Years from a very young age. That early experience stayed with me and shaped the path I have followed ever since.


After earning my Bachelor of Education (Bed Hons) from Nottingham Trent University, I went on to teach overseas for several years, broadening my perspective and deepening my understanding of different educational approaches.
On returning to the UK, I opened my first nursery in Cambridgeshire before relocating to Brighton in 2004 to start my family and pursue my vision of opening a nursery in the area.


Founding Growing Up Green has allowed me to combine my personal experience, professional training and passion for creating nurturing, enriching environments where children can truly thrive. It has been a real privilege to create a space where children feel safe, happy and inspired to learn every day.

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Adey Blackwell

Job Title: Nursery Owner Joined: 2005

I have been the co-owner of Growing Up Green Nurseries since we opened our first setting in 2005, following the birth of my first child.


I began my pathway into education and childcare when I started my teaching degree at the University of Brighton. After spending time travelling and teaching abroad, I returned to work in London as a primary school teacher, where I took on subject leadership in the Early Years with specialisms in Literacy and the Arts.


Moving back to Brighton in 2000 with a wealth of experience from working in a challenging inner-city school, I took on a senior management role within the largest first and middle school in Sussex, leading the Early Years team and lower school. I progressed to a deputy headteacher role and coordinated the SEND and Inclusion provision.


Stepping away from mainstream teaching and leadership to create an independent nursery environment at Growing Up Green has been an incredibly fulfilling endeavour. It enabled me to put my years of early years and management experience into something that I felt truly passionate about. This led to creating an enriching learning environment, developing a child-led curriculum, inspiring staff to look for awe and wonder and building a strong, nurturing community for our children, parents and staff.

India

India Smith

Job Title: Deputy Manager Joined: 2025

Hello, I'm India, and I am currently the Deputy Manager at Growing Up Green.


I have 7 years of experience in childcare, and 5 of those years have been with Growing Up Green, where I started my apprenticeship at 17 and haven't stopped since!


I love my job because I have a passion to care for children and find such joy in watching them grow and reach all their little and big milestones.


Outside of work, I enjoy going on walks with my dog and spending time with friends and family.

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