St Aidans Nursery School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Gravesend for children from birth to 8+, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 1992, with 45 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
DA12 4NGWhat 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, 12 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily and are eager to engage in their learning at this community nursery. For example, enthusiastic staff greet children on arrival and they quickly separate from their parents at the door. Children self-register using their 'I am here'
cards, place their belongings in the cloakroom and sanitise their hands. The friendly staff team are well deployed around the setting to support all children to become increasingly independent. This quickly settles children into the daily routine.
Children are curious as they explore what is on offer and quickly engage in their play and learning.
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 daily routines to avoid long waiting periods and help children understand what is happening next
- strengthen staff's skills in consistently supporting children's early communication and language development, to help all children fully benefit from any planned learning.
- 12 July 2024Good
- 11 October 2018Good
- 5 May 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St Aidans Nursery 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.