Nellies Pre-School
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Maidstone for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 14:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2023. Open since 2015, with 26 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
ME15 7JNWhat 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, 6 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
All children are settled, confident and happy during their time at the welcoming pre-school. Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, children are confident to choose their own play and complete their own tasks, such as serving snacks and pouring drinks. Staff have made significant improvements since their last inspection. They now demonstrate a good knowledge of the curriculum and how they embed challenging activities effectively to support all children to make good progress. They understand where each child is in their development and plan motivating activities accordingly. Children are eager to learn. For example, staff teach them about the natural world. Children are keen to learn about volcanoes and build their own using construction equipment.
Children enjoy bringing their imaginations to life. They become pirates and create their own maps to 'hunt for hidden treasure'. All staff are positive role models.
Children are polite and behave well. They are kind to each other. For instance, children are understanding of other children's different abilities and needs. Staff teach children about the importance of healthy lifestyles. For instance, they discuss healthy foods during mealtimes. Children gain good physical skills. For example, they confidently and safely climb and balance on a wide range of equipment, such as climbing structures and tyres.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the communication with parents about how they can further support their children's leaning at home n support staff to be more aware of the organisation of their larger group times to ensure that all children, particularly the youngest, remain fully engaged in their learning experiences.
- 6 July 2023Good
- 18 November 2022Needs improvement
- 1 December 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Nellies Pre-School
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.