Noah's Ark Pre-School
Noah's Ark Pre-School is a pre-school in Surbiton for children aged 2 to 4, with 30 registered places. Ofsted report card, 24 February 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met.
Bungalow, 401-403 Ewell Road, Surbiton, KT6 7DG
Key facts
- Type
- Pre-school (Sessional day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Ages
- 2 to 4 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered places
- 30 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered
- 23 December 1999 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Opening hours
Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:40 - 15:15
Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 24 February 2026
Who runs it
Noah's Ark Pre-School is run by Noah's Ark Pre School Committee (Ofsted register).
Latest inspection
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
- Achievement: Strong standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Strong standard
- Safeguarding standards met
Source: Ofsted, inspection on 24 February 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Leaders create an extremely warm and inclusive environment that welcomes children from diverse cultural backgrounds. They use their extensive experience to help staff recognise early signs of learning delays and ensure children receive the support they need. This commitment promotes effective support for children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children develop positive attitudes towards their learning. Children arrive in the setting happily and ready to learn. They feel extremely safe and emotionally secure.
One of the strengths of this setting is the highly successful partnership with parents and other professionals. This promotes a holistic approach to children's education and wellbeing. Staff help parents in various ways, including signposting them to relevant agencies and modelling story reading with children at home. Over time, children have developed a love of books and singing English songs. Leaders continue to work closely with all parents to further secure their engagement in their children's learning, particularly at home. Leaders establish high yet age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. They role model how to support and manage children's behaviour successfully. This is evident in the way children play well together for extended periods.
Staff deliver a rich and varied curriculum tailored to each child's individual needs. They access training regularly to develop their teaching skills, such as enhancing their use of resources during group activities. This benefits all children, particularly those with no prior knowledge of or limited English. As part of the rich curriculum, staff consistently provide children with opportunities to exercise and practise their physical skills. These learning experiences are highly beneficial for children, especially those who face physical barriers to their learning. Staff build trusting relationships with children. They cuddle children spontaneously and reassure them. Children respond positively to this, which promotes their emotional wellbeing.
What Ofsted found in each area
Inclusion: Strong standard
Leaders celebrate similarities and differences between people. They have extensive experience and are adept at identifying early signs of learning delays in children. Leaders set high expectations to ensure each child receives a secure educational foundation. This approach encourages staff to support children effectively, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The impact of this, such as children developing positive attitudes towards their learning, is evident. Children arrive at the setting happy and feeling safe.
Leaders model effective observation and assessment strategies, enabling staff to identify children's specific needs accurately. Staff engage actively with parents to discuss children's progress and explore ways to support their learning. They build excellent connections with professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to address children's learning gaps. Additionally, staff collaborate with external agencies to get parents the support they need. Consequently, there is a holistic approach to children's education and wellbeing.
Staff access training regularly to enhance their teaching knowledge and skills. For example, following training, they make more effective use of resources during group activities. This has fostered a love for singing nursery songs and rhymes among children. This is especially beneficial for children who have no or limited English knowledge.
Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
Staff use their secure knowledge to accurately identify and assess children who might have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who face barriers to their learning. This enables staff to provide the support children need and adapt their teaching. For example, staff know that some children attending the setting have low levels of physical skills. They plan various activities daily for children to practise and test their physical movements. This has a positive impact on children's growth and physical development.
Staff have frequent and meaningful interactions with children. For example, during a planned activity, they use a wide range of vocabulary, such as 'slimy' and 'gooey', to extend children's vocabulary. Children demonstrate retention of prior learning, such as recalling the ingredients for play dough. Staff consistently encourage children's active participation. They are reviewing their approach to provide children with more time to think and respond so they express their ideas more fully.
During activities, staff are very skilful at incorporating mathematical language and numbers. Children learn to compare 'big' and 'small' shapes. They practise their counting skills to raise their understanding of numbers. As part of the curriculum, staff ensure that children have plenty of opportunities to develop their creativity and imagination. Children enjoy practising their early drawing and writing skills. They talk proudly about their drawings of 'mummy and daddy' and a 'beautiful rainbow'. Children are highly motivated learners.
Achievement: Strong standard
Children make rapid and sustained progress from their starting points. This includes children who face barriers in their learning. For example, children who previously had limited English skills can now express themselves fluently. They hear a wide range of vocabulary during play and planned activities. Children develop their communication and language skills very well.
Children's parents receive copies of nursery songs in their home languages so they can sing them together at home. This initiative has promoted children's love for books and singing. Children look at books for pleasure, which promotes their early literacy skills. They show confidence in listening to stories and singing songs.
Additionally, many children's behaviour has improved significantly. Children listen and follow instructions well, which benefits their interactions with others. They receive a highly consistent approach to their learning and care needs.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
Leaders serve as superb role models to staff and children. They continuously review the organisation of group activities to meet children's diverse needs and developmental stages. Children benefit from a wide range of learning experiences. Leaders have established consistent communication with staff regarding the setting's rules and boundaries. This helps staff to set clear expectations. This, in turn, helps children to become highly motivated learners.
Staff help parents to understand the benefits of attending the setting regularly. This includes emphasising to parents the value of early years education. This approach encourages consistent attendance and punctuality among children. Children develop very good habits and attitudes towards their learning.
Staff have established a routine that is embedded in their practice. This enables children to understand what is going to happen next, such as at lunchtime. Children learn to use their 'indoor voice' and 'walking feet'. They behave very well. During group activities, children, including those who face barriers to their learning, show high levels of concentration. They support and praise one another. For example, children clap their hands when their peers correctly identify the names of toy items. They consistently display positive attitudes towards their learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
Staff's prioritise children's emotional and physical wellbeing consistently. They are extremely warm and approachable. This creates a highly welcoming atmosphere that helps children settle in quickly. Staff are adept at quickly recognising changes in a child's disposition and promptly communicating these observations with parents. This promotes a continuity of children's care. Where children have been away from the setting, they offer them extra support and reassurance. Children enjoy cuddles with staff, which shows positive relationships. Children demonstrate that they have built trusting and secure relationships with staff, which enhances their self-confidence.
Staff plan a wide variety of enjoyable and purposeful activities to encourage children's physical fitness and improve their coordination. Outdoors, they engage children in stretching and balancing exercises that test and enhance their physical skills. Indoors, children enjoy listening to music and dancing along to it. These opportunities are highly beneficial for children, especially those who face physical barriers to their learning. Additionally, staff prioritise children's safety and welfare. They are highly vigilant in their supervision of children and conduct regular headcounts to ensure all children are accounted for. Children feel safe and emotionally secure.
Staff teach children to perform age-appropriate tasks independently. For example, they encourage children to manage their toileting needs and practise proper handwashing before meals. This practice promotes children's sense of responsibility and self-reliance.
Leadership and governance: Strong standard
The leadership and governance at this setting are consistently of high quality. Leaders use detailed evaluations to identify the setting's strengths and areas for development. Since the last inspection, they have reviewed the daily routines to reduce indoor noise levels. This has created a more positive play environment for children. Leaders actively seek feedback from parents and other professionals, maintaining a constructive approach. They continually strive to strengthen parent engagement to ensure a consistent approach to children's learning and care needs at home.
Leaders prioritise the wellbeing of all children, particularly those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive additional funding, or face other learning barriers. They utilise funding effectively, acquiring the necessary outdoor equipment. Children who previously showed limited physical strength can now explore the natural environment more freely. Children develop noticeable physical skills from their starting points.
Leaders consider staff's wellbeing and workload management. They prioritise professional development opportunities for their team. Staff report receiving consistently effective support. They enjoy enhancing their knowledge and skills, which greatly benefits children. For instance, some staff have completed training focused on supporting children's healthy eating habits. Children become increasingly more aware of how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
What the setting must and should do next
The provider should:
- Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known or previously known to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.
Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 24 February 2026. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Inspection history
Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)
Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.
The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.
Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.
Source: Ofsted reports
Funded childcare hours in England
All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.
Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.
Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.
The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.
Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)
Other nurseries nearby
- Sutherland Day Nursery - Day nursery, Surbiton KT6 7BB, ages 0 to 5, 72 places, 0.2 milesOfsted, 7 January 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Nutkins Day Nursery - Day nursery, Surbiton KT5 9EP, ages 0 to 4, 34 places, 0.3 milesOfsted, 1 July 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Kids United Pre-School - Pre-school, Surbiton KT5 9JR, ages 2 to 4, 28 places, 0.3 milesOfsted, 28 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Bright Horizons Surbiton Ewell Road Day Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, London KT6 7AB, 95 places, 0.5 milesOfsted, 19 March 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Surbiton - Day nursery, Surbiton KT6 6LA, ages 0 to 5, 60 places, 0.6 milesOfsted, 16 August 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Schools nearby
- Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School - Primary, under 0.1 miles
- Tolworth Infant and Nursery School - Primary, 0.4 miles
- Tolworth Junior School - Primary, 0.4 miles
- Knollmead Primary School - Primary, 0.5 miles
- Grand Avenue Primary and Nursery School - Primary, 0.6 miles