Barbies Playschool and Selwyn House Nursery
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Broadstairs for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2025. Open since 1970, with 82 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
CT10 2STWhat 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, 9 July 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The provider and staff create a highly supportive environment for babies and children that nurtures curiosity and supports their development. They make sure that settling-in sessions focus on the individual needs of the child and their family.
This meticulous attention to detail continues as children progress through the setting and eventually transition to school. Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children to develop a sense of belonging and ensuring they feel safe and secure within the setting.
Staff plan a sequenced curriculum that enables children to make strong progress in their learning and development. For example, babies practise their scooping and pouring as they splash about in the water tray. Older children have fun as they develop their problem-solving skills, working out how to release the sea creatures from the ice blocks. There is a great sense of anticipation as the ice melts and they see the claws of the crab emerge. Staff make good use of activities to support children's social skills as they work collaboratively and learn to share. Children's behaviour is good and appropriate for their age and stage of development.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to help them extend all children's learning to embed teaching securely and consistently across the setting.
- 9 July 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 14 August 2019Outstanding
- 27 October 2014Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Barbies Playschool and Selwyn House 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.