Abbey Pre-school
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Dover for children from birth to 8+, open 08:45 to 17:45, 4 days a week. £6.00 an hour, and they take the funded hours. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 1992, with 30 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
These are £6.00 per hour, payable daily, weekly, monthly or termly.
One published rate. What you pay depends on the days you need and the funded hours you can claim.
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
Up to 15 hours universal free entitlement a week, or extended hours of up to 30 hours per week for working parents during term time only (38 weeks per year).
Worth knowing. Any excess hours of early education above the first 15 or 30 hours will be charged by us at our hourly rate. Registration fees, deposits or fees for notice periods will not be charged.
What childcare usually costs in Kent
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Kent from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
CT17 0RGWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 18 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive at this extremely welcoming, inclusive and supportive setting. The staff provide a variety of high-quality learning experiences and demonstrate the utmost care and respect for children at all times. Children form strong bonds with staff and their friends, which helps them feel secure and safe at the setting. As a result, children settle quickly and with ease.
Children flourish and make exceptional progress as a result of a thoughtfully planned and superbly delivered curriculum. The precisely designed curriculum provides children with a wealth of experiences, and a robust foundation in the knowledge and skills essential for their future education. Children consistently demonstrate they are emotionally safe and secure, and show incredible enthusiasm for learning. They smile, giggle and engage with their friends as they involve themselves in the inspiring activities. For instance, during creative activities, children are given the autonomy to explore, experiment and create, using their imagination. They show great determination to see through their ideas, with staff on hand to model and support when needed.
Children's ability to deal with setbacks and manage their own feelings is excellent.
- 18 July 2024Outstanding
- 5 September 2018Good
- 28 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Abbey Pre-school
- Youngest age taken
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £6.00 an hour still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.