Willow Rise Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Maidstone for children from birth to 5, open 09:15 to 12:15, 7 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 1990, with 40 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 8XGWhat 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, 21 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
All children are settled, confident and happy during their time in the inviting preschool. Children learn to be independent and are encouraged to complete their own tasks, such as serving their own snack, and they do so with confidence. Staff have a good understanding and reasoning behind their chosen curriculum and plan carefully to help motivate all children to learn. Children learn from interesting opportunities. For example, they carry out bird-watching activities. They learn the different names of birds and go on to make bird feeders. They are excited to see if birds will visit their creations for their food. Children enjoy bringing their imagination alive when they learn about the world around them. They are excited to build their own train and 'visit' various destinations.
All staff are positive role models. Children are polite and behave well. They develop good social skills and are kind to each other. For instance, children help each other to complete tasks. Children learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, they talk about the importance and benefits of routinely brushing their teeth. Children learn to develop good physical skills and learn to move in different ways. For example, they confidently and safely negotiate equipment and resources, such as balancing beams and pedal bikes.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve the opportunities children have to engage in more quiet and calmer activities, such as reading more effectively n extend opportunities for staff to access more regular and beneficial training to continue to build on their already good knowledge and skills to enhance their practice even further.
- 21 January 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 1 May 2019Good
- 2 October 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Willow Rise 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.