Nurseries in Lightwater

Yes. Eligible working parents in Lightwater can receive up to 30 funded hours a week from the term after their child turns 9 months. Surrey allows a maximum of 1,140 funded hours a year, normally taken over 38 weeks or stretched across more weeks where the provider offers this arrangement.

Surrey's 2025 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment recorded 169 places in Lightwater: 50 day-nursery places, 45 childminder places and 74 places in maintained or academy school-based provision. The assessment recorded no extended-day preschool or sessional preschool places in the Lightwater ward at that point.

Yes. Across Surrey Heath, day-nursery places were broadly stable between 2024 and 2025, moving from 841 to 839, while childminder places increased from 255 to 297, a rise of about 14%. Extended-day preschool/nursery places fell from 399 to 365 during the same period.

Yes. Surrey permits funded entitlements to be stretched across up to 52 weeks. Funded sessions cannot exceed 10 hours in one day, cannot start before 6am or finish after 8pm, and a child can use no more than two sites in one day.

Yes. Surrey's Funded Early Education for Two-year-olds (FEET) provides up to 570 funded hours a year for eligible 2-year-olds. Once a child has been confirmed as eligible for FEET, Surrey states that they remain eligible until they move onto the appropriate 3- and 4-year-old entitlement.

Lightwater is in Surrey Heath, which forms part of Surrey's North West Early Years SEND sector together with Woking and Runnymede. The team supports nursery SENCOs with observations, early intervention, SEND processes, transitions and applications for additional support.

Yes. Surrey's Early Intervention Fund can support eligible funded children with additional needs or disabilities from the term after they turn 9 months. Depending on the child's needs, support can cover up to their full 15- or 30-hour funded entitlement.

From 1 April 2026, Surrey's Disability Access Fund is £1,225 per eligible child per year. The funding goes to the early-years provider supporting a child who receives Disability Living Allowance and accesses funded early education.

They cannot make additional charges compulsory simply to access funded childcare. Surrey permits voluntary charges for meals, snacks, nappies, sun cream and optional activities, as well as privately purchased hours. Funded hours themselves must remain accessible without mandatory additional fees.

Lightwater is primarily within GU18. Official Surrey Heath records show locations across GU18 5, including The Avenue at GU18 5RG, Guildford Road at GU18 5SB, and Lightwater Recreation Ground at GU18 5SJ. ToddleKids can be used to compare childcare within the part of GU18 that best fits a family's home or commute.