Ashford Play Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Ashford for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2023. Open since 1992, with 44 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
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
TN24 8NZWhat 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, 27 November 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and their families are warmly welcomed at this friendly and caring setting.
Children enter happily, eager to explore the activities on offer. Younger children are comforted and cuddled by kind staff, who know them well. Staff promote children's language and communication skills well. Children excitedly join in with rhymes, dancing to their favourite ones with their friends. This successfully supports their confidence and self-esteem. Staff are good role models. They play alongside children and encourage them. Children behave well. They help their friends to choose dressing-up clothes and ask them to play. This successfully develops their personal and social skills.
Staff support children's emotional well-being. They praise children and celebrate their achievements. For example, children delight in proudly showing staff the stickers they get for eating all their lunches. Staff 'high-five' children and say that they are proud of them. Staff help children to develop positive attitudes to their learning. Children are motivated and interested in the toys and experiences planned for them. For example, children enjoy exploring the play dough together, making models, and they exclaim, 'I did it!', when they persevere in using the cutters to make shapes. This supports their wider learning and development.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to more quickly identify when children may need further support during daily routines, to help them engage fully in learning opportunities.
- 27 November 2023Good
- 23 August 2017Good
- 26 May 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ashford Play Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- 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
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? 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.