Bright Horizons Canterbury Day Nursery and Preschool
Good★ 4.1 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Canterbury for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2005, with 148 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
CT1 1SWWhat 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.
- 14 September 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 18 August 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 9 May 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 27 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff promote children's happiness at this welcoming, inclusive and safe setting.
Children enjoy sharing their 'family books' with their friends, talking about who is important to them. This supports children's emotional well-being. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. They ensure children receive targeted support to help them make the best possible progress. For example, children who need support to manage their own behaviour, have now made good friends. This develops children's personal and social skills well. Children's behaviour is good. Children immediately run over to help their friends when their trike takes a tumble. They develop positive attitudes to learning and strong social skills.
Staff develop a curriculum which is based on children's individual needs, interests and next steps. Staff skilfully support children's developing language skills. Children delight in joining in with favourite stories. Babies listen intently as staff sing rhymes and songs. Staff have high expectations for children. They plan interesting and motivating activities. For example, staff encourage children to make their own pumpkins out of play dough. They describe the different lines and marks on the pumpkin and talk about how they can make their own. This supports children's critical thinking skills well.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to recognise when to encourage children to do things for themselves, to further enhance their independence skills.
- 27 October 2023Good
- 3 August 2018Good
- 25 September 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bright Horizons Canterbury Day Nursery and Preschool
- 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.