Biddenden PlaySchool
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Ashford for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2023. Open since 2007, with 38 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
TN27 8ALWhat 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, 21 April 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children display high levels of confidence and have good social skills. The calm atmosphere allows children to explore at their own pace and make their own decisions in their play. Staff make effective use of the setting's dog to teach children about safety. For example, children are learning about how to take care of the dog and how to approach dogs safely when in public. This supports children who are afraid of dogs to overcome their fear and develop their confidence. As a result, children enjoy the therapeutic benefits the dog brings to the setting.
Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Staff provide weekly opportunities for children to engage in a variety of physical activities. For example, they go for woodland walks around the open spaces and fields, take part in racket sports and engage in dance classes. These opportunities encourage children to develop their strength, balance and coordination.
Children are encouraged to develop their early literacy skills. For example, they show high levels of engagement as they listen to staff read stories. Children are developing a love for reading, exposing them to a variety of new words and language. Staff are supporting pre-school children to recognise their name. As a result, children are eager to explore letters further as they complete an alphabet puzzle. This shows how children are becoming independent learners, prepared for their future in education.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to identify when to use more effective questioning techniques to identify any gaps in children's knowledge n support staff in providing further challenge to the most able children to continually build on and broaden their knowledge and skills.
- 21 April 2023Good
- 31 October 2017Good
- 19 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Biddenden PlaySchool
- 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.