The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

6 Woodmansterne Lane, Banstead, SM7 3ES
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9.6 65 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.

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Care Provided by The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • 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
  • 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

Funding & Fees Guide for The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

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

The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School Reviews (65)

Total of 65, showing 21-40
9.6

The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.578) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School has 65 reviews.

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Review from B K (Mother of Child) published on 1 October 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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  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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Review from Sam F (Mother of Child) published on 7 May 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would highly recommend this nursery to anyone that would like their child to get the best from their early years. The activities which other nurseries pay for are included in the standard fee. The interaction the children have with all staff is amazing, cooking with the chef, gardening with the gardener
then eating homegrown food. Trips to local shops. The forest school status makes this an even more appealing nursery. Put all this to one side, there is a fantastic team of staff that in my eyes do over and above in every way possible. The management team are thorough and attentive and approachable. It’s truly a wonderful place.

Reply from The Staff Team at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

Thank you so much for your amazing review. We are thrilled to hear how happy you are with the Nursery and how pleased you are with the staff team!


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Review from Olivia M (Mother of Child) published on 2 May 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This place cannot be faulted!


The staff are second to none, they make you feel so comfortable straight away.


My little one has come on in leaps and bounds since joining in April, it has brought her right out of her shell.


Highly recommend.


Reply from The Old Barn Day Nursery Staff Team at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're so pleased to hear how well your little one is developing with us.


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Review from Emma (Mother of Child) published on 2 May 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I couldn't be happier with the excellent level of care my son has received since starting at The Old Barn Day Nursery in April 2019. The fun, enthusiastic, professional and amazing staff are what makes me feel so reassured when our little boy started nursery. He is beaming with smiles when he sees the
staff and when we collect him, it's clear that he's had a fantastic day full of activities. The current feedback process is a great way and perfect amount of information to understand how the day has gone i.e. feeding/naps etc. The highlights for our son, and us as parents, would have to be ALL the friendly staff, communication, the bright rooms full of wonderful activity stations and the garden (we especially love the outdoor nap area).

Reply from The Old Barn Day Nursery Staff Team at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We're thrilled to hear how happy your son is at Nursery and how pleased you are with the staff team.


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Review from Laura Q (Mother of Child) published on 2 May 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We started taking him to the nursery once a week to improve his social skills and boy, it really did!

Reply from The Old Barn Day Nursery Staff Team at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

We are thrilled to hear how much your son has benefited from attending our Nursery. Thank you!


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Review from Georgie C (Mother of Child) published on 30 April 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy started the nursery in April and I cannot recommend it more. He has settled in so well, thank you to the amazing staff and he comes home having had a lovely day and being really well stimulated! The garden is the best thing about the nursery!

Reply from The Old Barn Staff Team at The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School

Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are delighted to hear how happy you are with the nursery and how much your little boy enjoys attending.


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Review from Louise L (Aunt of Child) published on 15 June 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My niece attends this nursery 4 days a week, the staff are attentive to her needs and always welcome her in with a warm hello. I like the different activities the nursery offers and the warm friendly feel from all of the staff. Nothing is ever too much.

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Current Review Score: 9.6 (9.578)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.6 (9.578) 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.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 16 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 15 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 4.578 for The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School is calculated as follows: ( (153 Excellents x 5) + (21 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) + (12 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 192 Ratings = 4.578

  • 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 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Old Barn Day Nursery & Forest School is based on 15 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 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • 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 42 number of registered child places is 8.4, which has been reached with 15 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • 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

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Awards / Recognitions (8)

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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.