Little Oaks Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Canterbury for children from birth to 8+, open 07:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2024. Open since 2012, with 57 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 3NGWhat 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, 18 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are greeted by their keyworker and quickly settle into their morning activities with smiles on their faces. Children have a lovely, close bond with staff and with each other. They behave very well and know how to share and take turns in conversation, which has been modelled by staff. Staff have carefully planned the layout of the environment to allow children to develop their independence and develop their physical skills. For example, in the baby room, the youngest children can pull themselves up to stand and climb steps on the slide. In the rooms for older children, children develop their mark making and writing through engaging activities such as using chunky paintbrushes in flour to make patterns and using play dough to mould shapes.
Outdoors, children play in the natural environment, ride bikes, and read in their reading shed. Staff teach children about the seasons in the year and the changes that happen. For example, children learn about ice and why this forms and explore what happens to it throughout the day. Staff plan fun and engaging trips for children to learn about the world around them. Children visit the parks, cathedral, and theatre within their local area. The older children also visit a local forest school and beach school to enhance their experience at nursery.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen planning of group activities to help all children achieve the intended learning outcome.
- 18 January 2024Good
- 24 April 2018Good
- 15 July 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Oaks Day 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.