Springboard Pre-School
OutstandingBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Sevenoaks for children from birth to 5, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 2014, with 16 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
TN13 2ASWhat 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, 24 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children excel in this vibrant and nurturing pre-school. There is a tremendous sense of fun and a constant buzz of activity. Teaching is inspirational and activities capture their interests. Children approach activities with curiosity and interest, demonstrating an extremely positive attitude to learning. Children have a can-do approach to the challenges they come across. Their exploration is encouraged and enabled by exceptional qualified practitioners, who expertly support and scaffold children's learning. For example, during a baking activity, children show they are critical thinkers, when they problem-solve to find the right consistency for their mixture.
Children's emotional well-being is highly promoted. They build strong friendships with their peers and flourish within the secure and respectful relationships they have formed with all practitioners. Children's behaviour is exceptional. They take pride in the care of their environment. They are very self-sufficient, putting away their personal belongings, including tissues in the bin, without prompting. Children demonstrate genuine concern for their peers. For example, when enjoying the story, 'Ruby's Worry,' children discuss their own worries. They talk about being worried about dinosaurs, and are confidently reassured by other children who tell them not to worry, because there are no dinosaurs in the story.
Children show excellent balance on the climbing frame, as they chase one another pretending to be pirates. They show strength in their gross-motor skills, as they collectively follow instructions to move a large parachute in different directions.
- 24 March 2022Outstanding
- 30 September 2016Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Springboard 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.