Ide Hill Pre-School
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Sevenoaks for from 2 years up to school age, open 09:15 to 14:45, 5 days a week. £70.00 a day, and they take the funded hours. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in October 2021. Open since 1992, with 26 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Full day | Session | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | £70.00Fees - Non-funded children | £35.00Morning Fees - Non-funded children or Afternoon Fees - Non-funded children |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £5.00 a day Early Drop Off
What a funded hour still costs
Funded hours cover the childcare. These are charged alongside them.
- £35.00 a session Universal funding for 3-4 year olds (15 hours) – additionalIf a child chooses to attend for 3 full days, the additional session
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
Free for 2 year olds (15 hours); Universal funding for 3-4 year olds (15 hours); Working Parents Entitlement for 2, 3 & 4 year olds 30 hours funding.
Worth knowing. Universal funding for 3-4 year olds (15 hours) – Taken as 5 sessions. If a child chooses to attend for 3 full days, the additional session will be charged at the non funded price £35.00 – please note the extra afternoon session is optional with this configuration. There is no additional charge for children using 30 hours (unless using early start/late collection).
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
TN14 6JGWhat 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, 19 October 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish as they play and learn, expertly supported by the highly motivated staff team. All children are independent learners and eagerly explore the exciting resources set out to reflect their interests. They soon become engrossed in their chosen activities. For example, an activity to make potions arose from the children's fascination in a discussion about Halloween. The presentation of curious bottles of different shapes, sizes and colours, along with food colouring, petals and glitter, was irresistible. Children became absorbed in the magical world of witches and wizards. They showed immense concentration as they mastered the use of large pipettes after repeated practise and perseverance. Children confidently mixed colours, using richly descriptive language such as 'blood red'.
Throughout the setting, children busily explore, experiment, laugh or talk. Whether constructing walls, washing baby dolls or sitting with friends in dens to read books, they play extremely cooperatively. They work together to solve problems in very mature ways. For example, a group of children operating a large toy concrete mixer negotiated how best to achieve their goals. While one child turned the handle to keep the mixer constantly turning, another very proficiently used a spade to scoop the sand in from the edges to mix with the water. When they realised the mix was too wet, another child took responsibility for finding more sand until they obtained the right consistency. Children also find plenty of time to relax, searching out staff to read them a story or just to sit and have a chat.
Children display impeccable social skills and behaviour, following the excellent example set by staff. They are caring, polite and extremely friendly. They respond very well to the recognition and praise they receive for simple courtesies such as waiting patiently for their turn. This creates a very harmonious and positive atmosphere, allowing children to develop the confidence and security to try new things in a safe environment.
- 19 October 2021Outstanding
- 2 July 2015Outstanding
- 19 November 2009Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ide Hill Pre-School
- 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
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 £70.00 a day 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.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.