The Friendly Fish Nursery

5 Selborne Place, Selborne Road, Littlehampton BN17 5NH
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9.9 18 Reviews
  • The Friendly Fish Nursery, Littlehampton
The Friendly Fish Nursery offers childcare to children up to the age of five in Littlehampton and the surrounding area.

The nursery puts on regular Beach School sessions giving children a fun and unique opportunity to learn and explore the world around them.

They will have the chance to build shelters, experience the tides and become familiar with a natural environment that is constantly changing. Staff at the nursery are warm and nurturing and do their utmost to provide the children with a stimulating environment.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Total Places for Children

  • 60

Age Range

  • from 0 years
  • to 5 years

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

The Friendly Fish Nursery Reviews (18)

9.9

The Friendly Fish Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.921) out of 10, based on 18 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Friendly Fish Nursery has 18 reviews.

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Total of 18, showing 1-18
Review from L H (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The team at friendly fish are just wonderful, having had some difficult times with other local nurseries I was apprehensive starting my children in a new nursery, but here we are four years later as my youngest child is due to start school and they have both loved friendly fish, as have we. The team
have looked after my children so well and they have looked after us too. They have guided us through supporting our child with special needs and have been so kind when we have needed some extra support. I would recommend friendly fish.
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Review from F M (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friendly fish have been so wonderful with my 2 sons. I sent my eldest in January after I'd had my second baby. I was worried he would be unhappy due to all the changes at home but the staff all welcomed him in with open arms. He was so happy to attend each day and receiving lovely photos and updates
of him playing was so lovely to see.


When my youngest was only 4.5 months I had to return to work. Putting him in the baby room was incredibly daunting but the staff were incredible yet again. They took great care with making sure they knew every single detail about him, his milk, sleeps, likes and dislikes. New items were purchased to ensure he was safe (a baby carrier and a new baby gym). He has now started to wean onto meals and I have so much trust within the girls to make sure he is having stage appropriate food. They've made my return to work so much happier and easier than I could have imagined!

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Review from Amber J (Mother of Child) published on 18 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friendly fish are the loveliest nursery I have come across. We looked at a couple at this stood out by far. All the staff are lovely and welcoming and can never do enough for parents or children and always help with any issues. I always say how lovely it is and words cannot express how thankful I am
for them. 100/10 recommend
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Review from E T (Mother of Child) published on 17 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of our children have been to friendly fish and we highly recommend them! I couldn't say a bad word about them since we started using the nursery in 2019. All the staff are lovely, communication is great, and our children have been happy there. I will be sad when our youngest leaves!
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Review from Josie M (Mother of Child) published on 17 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I'm so pleased we chose friendly fish for my son's nursery. From his very first day in the baby room, the staff made us feel so reassured and were incredible with him. He's just moved into the next room and we're looking forward to seeing how much he progresses in this room too. Thank you so much to
all the staff at friendly fish.
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Review from F M (Mother of Child) published on 17 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our experience with Friendly Fish Nursery has been outstanding.


Since my little girl joined in April 2025, her development has improved significantly.


She absolutely loves going there some days it's a struggle to try and get her to leave nursery which I love that as it's a good sign she likes

it there.


The staff are always welcoming and friendly and nothing is too much trouble.


I was a bit worried about sending my little girl to nursery at first as you hear all these horror stories on the news and on social media but when I asked a couple of my friends who their children go to this nursery, they couldn't recommend it enough and when I visited the place, I just got a great feeling straight away and I knew this had to be the nursery for my little girl.

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Review from Z A (Mother of Child) published on 17 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I can not praise the nursery enough! My little girl has attended here since Oct 2023 and has absolutely thrived. She loves coming here, she has learnt SO much, made so many friends and has the most fantastic bond with the most lovely, kind compassionate and caring staff. They have prepared her in so
many ways for her next chapter in life (big school) and I just can't thank them enough for always being so supportive and caring. I highly recommend the friendly fish.
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Review from V R (Nanny Carer of Child) published on 12 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friendly fish is exactly that friendly and homely.
Children's learning is always at the forefront of everything they do.
Beach school and trips to the shops to buy resources to implement their new curiosity approach to learning.
Children are happy and well looked after by all staff.
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Review from E G (Mother of Child) published on 17 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot express enough how grateful we are for the wonderful experience our daughter has had at Friendly Fish Nursery. From the very first day, it was clear that this nursery priorities the well-being and happiness of every child.
Our daughter has settled in incredibly quickly, which speaks volumes
about the nurturing environment they provide. The warm greetings and personalised care she receives each day make her excited to go to nursery.
We truly appreciate the open communication with the staff, the manager, responds quickly to any questions we have and her key workers share delightful stories about her day.
In a world where finding the right nursery can be daunting, we feel incredibly lucky to have found Friendly Fish. We wholeheartedly recommend this nursery to any parent looking for a caring and dynamic environment for their little ones.
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Review from Cassie Y (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All of my children have attended The Friendly Fish, starting in December 2019. The staff are all kind and caring and communicate well with parents. My children have enjoyed their time at nursery and my elder child who is now at school, still speaks fondly of his time there.
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Review from Charlie K (Mother of Child) published on 13 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Friendly Fish has been an amazing part of our little girl's world since she was 1. She always wants to go, loves the activities and the outdoor space. As parents we find every member of staff to be friendly and feel like they have really got to know our daughter and care for her with love. The manager
and her team are wonderful.
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Review from P P (Mother of Child) published on 21 January 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son started going to The Friendly Fish when he was 9 months, he is now 18 months and thoroughly enjoys it, he is so smiley on pick up and chatty with his friends' names. The handovers we receive are so thorough in person at pick up and we also have an app we can check on through the day if needed.
Both rooms my son have been in include such caring and considerate staff. They are so easy to talk to and listen to you. Particularly when my son joined, they were so organized in finding out what he enjoyed, what and how he ate, how he slept and this information has been passed through the rooms. My son particularly likes going out in the garden, he goes out in the garden twice a day and how much he enjoys this reflects at home (as he's always asking for the garden now). He also visited the beach recently with staff. The nursery is always looking to adapt, find exciting things for all the children to do, we are so pleased we were recommended here for our son (more than 1 recommendation too!).
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Review from A L (Mother of Child) published on 20 January 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery has gone through an amazing transformation over the last several months and children are truly thriving. The communication with the management is excellent and all the concerns responded to promptly. We are very pleased.


Our daughter truly enjoys the great outdoor space, the resources

are plenty and well thought through. Highly recommended.
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Review from M L (Father of Child) published on 3 January 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl has thrived at the Friendly Fish Nursery and she is always smiley when I pick her up. All the staff take wonderful care of her and give her lots of opportunities to be creative. She started there at 8 months old and is currently in preschool. We get told everything through the online
app and on pick-up as well. They update me with all the fun things she gets up to and they support her with her development too.
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Review from Hayley S (Mother of Child) published on 30 December 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The Friendly Fish Nursery is an amazing nursery. Since my son's recent health diagnosis they have been very accommodating to his needs and being very supportive and understanding. My son loves being at the nursery he always has a smile on his face and still has a smile when he comes home. Although my
son can't talk they have taught him some Makaton to help him communicate with us which has helped massively. I can't thank Friendly Fish enough for all their continued support and everything they do for my son. So thank you ladies.
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Review from E W (Mother of Child) published on 30 December 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Love this nursery, my child has thrived whilst they have been there. The staff really care, they want your child to get the most out of every day and genuinely seem to love spending time with the children. There are so many opportunities for enrichment and creativity and the setting and facilities are
top-notch. Even though it is already great, the manager has so many plans for improvements and updates it just shows how much she wants the kids to have amazing experiences. This enthusiasm in turn energises the staff under her who seem to always go the extra mile to give the kids exciting learning opportunities whilst still managing to have lots of fun.
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Review from Katy T (Mother of Child) published on 30 December 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has attended Friendly Fish since August 2023, going for a full day. We absolutely love the setting - the staff are caring, professional, attentive and truly know each child. My child has loved going on trips to the beach, orchard, town and a bus journey to a local school, amongst other things.
The nursery ensures the children are kept busy throughout the day, with regular time in the garden. My child has allergies and dietary requirements which are always treated with the necessary caution and understanding. We are very happy with Friendly Fish - my child looks forward to their days there and always happily tells us about their day.
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Review from K W (Mother of Child) published on 30 December 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been at The Friendly Fish Nursery since he was 9 months old and is now in his last year. From the very start the nursery has been extremely warm and caring about my son and ensured they have got to know him. They have been responsive to any queries or concerns that we may have had, as well
as offering support to our family where needed. We have never felt we couldn't raise anything with any staff member and the manager is always available to talk to. The nursery has amazing facilities and the manager is always looking at ways to improve as well as change the environment to benefit the children. The garden is really spacious with a patio and artificial grass so can be used all year round, with amazing play equipment. They have built links with the local school, offering the preschool children the opportunity to use the school's forest school environment, building upon outdoor activities and teaching the children how to travel safely on a bus. Amazing nursery!
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.921)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.921) out of 10 for The Friendly Fish Nursery 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 18 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 18 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 4.921 for The Friendly Fish Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (199 Excellents x 5) + (17 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 216 Ratings = 4.921
  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 Friendly Fish Nursery is based on 18 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 60 number of registered child places is 12, which has been reached with 18 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 (6)

Meet the Team (0)

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Frequently Asked Questions about The Friendly Fish Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that The Friendly Fish Nursery accepts?

The Friendly Fish Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years to 5 years.

What Days & Hours is The Friendly Fish Nursery Open?

The Friendly Fish Nursery 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 The Friendly Fish Nursery have capacity for?

The Friendly Fish Nursery has capacity for a total of 60 Children.

How far is The Friendly Fish Nursery to the centre of Littlehampton?

0.4 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 The Friendly Fish Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Friendly Fish Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.