Tinkerbells Early Years
OutstandingBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Sittingbourne for children from birth to 5, open 08:45 to 14:45, 6 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2023. Open since 2015, with 36 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
ME9 8RRWhat 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 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are extremely enthusiastic to start their day. They eagerly wait to come in, while planning with their friends what they are going to do. They greet staff with excitement for their day ahead. Children, staff, parents, and carers have developed fantastic relationships that help children to feel exceptionally safe and secure.
Children thoroughly enjoy exploring all areas of the spacious and incredibly wellplanned environment. Children are instantly engaged as soon as they arrive and get straight to play.
Children are provided with an outstanding range of stimulating and exciting activities that captivate their interests, supporting them to become extremely motivated learners. For instance, children show an interest in building and construction. To develop this further, staff provide large cardboard boxes, which ignite children's creativity. Children engage in sustained role play, using their extensive range of language. For example, they make a 'jail' with 'underground tunnels'. Furthermore, children are incredibly kind and caring. When children approach established games, they are made to feel welcome. Children listen to each other's ideas and adapt their play as necessary.
- 12 July 2023Outstanding
- 11 December 2017Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Tinkerbells Early Years
- 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.