The Wharf Nursery School, Godalming
The Wharf Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Godalming. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Wharf Nursery School in detail
The Wharf Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to The Wharf Nursery School. We are a well-established, maintained (state-funded) nursery school which has been at the heart of the community in Godalming since it was founded in 1947. Our nursery sessions are for 2 to 5-year-olds from 9am to 3pm/3.30pm, term-time only."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
19.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 16.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 13 pupils (14%) received SEN support and 1 (1.1%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Godalming Rail Station, about 820 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wharf Nursery School, 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Wharf Nursery School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
19.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby nursery school
Keep up with The Wharf Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Wharf Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Wharf Nursery School is in Surrey; for families living there:
- Surrey's school travel policy: Travel Assistance Policy for under 16s
- How to apply: Apply online for under 16 travel help
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 17 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Godalming
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Godalming
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
13
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
15.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
93
Total Pupils
45
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
23.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,122
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about The Wharf Nursery School
What is The Wharf Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
The Wharf Nursery School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Wharf Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When The Wharf Nursery School is oversubscribed, Surrey allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Wharf Nursery School?
The Wharf Nursery School has around 93 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to The Wharf Nursery School?
Apply through Surrey's coordinated admissions process, naming The Wharf Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near The Wharf Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 17 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Wharf Nursery School?
The Wharf Nursery School is at The Wharf, Woolsack Way, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1JG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)