Pennies at Newnham Court
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Maidstone for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2022. Open since 2005, with 131 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
ME14 5LHWhat 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.
- 11 September 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 10 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children of all ages are happy and settled at the warm and inviting nursery. They are confident and independent. For example, children choose their own play and complete their own tasks. They are eager to tell their friends, 'Look I done it' after successfully zipping up their own coat. Children excitedly engage in challenging activities that staff carefully plan for them. For example, older children learn about still life drawings as they draw a vase of daffodils. Younger children are keen to explore their senses. For instance, they investigate bottles that smell of different items, such as salted caramel and garlic cloves.
Children gain good social skills. They are polite and behave well. Even the youngest children sign 'please' and 'thank you'. Children build positive friendships and happily play together. Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles.
For instance, they brush their teeth after lunch and talk about the importance of doing so. Older children learn about healthy eating, as they make fruit juice from fresh oranges. Children of all ages gain good physical skills. For example, they confidently use slides, crawl through tunnels, climb up climbing walls and balance on large tyres. Children in receipt of additional funding are supported through carefully considered equipment that matches their individual learning needs. For example, sensory equipment has been purchased for children to use.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve the organisation of the lunchtime routine for babies to ensure that they are happy and engaged during this time - develop a more consistent approach to the sharing of information with other settings children attend.
- 10 March 2022Good
- 20 September 2016Good
- 25 February 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Pennies at Newnham Court
- 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.