All Saints Nursery School

A grassy garden in All Saints Church grounds, outdoor learning behind the vicarage and mixed-age key groups give All Saints Nursery School a recognisable character. Based at Shirley Hall in Whitstable, it combines shared play with practical steps towards independence: children choose snacks, pour drinks and help prepare food. Outdoor access is part of the ordinary day.

At its 17 June 2026 inspection, Ofsted awarded Strong standard in achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership and governance, with safeguarding standards met. These are area judgements rather than an overall grade. They give parents a broad picture of the setting's education and care.

There are 30 places in total for children aged two to five, with children starting from two and a half. Attendance is term-time, with morning and afternoon sessions alongside breakfast and late-finish arrangements.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS frames children's learning through play, including communication, physical development and relationships. Child-chosen activity alternates with small-group conversation, music, stories and movement, giving children time to explore interests and practise listening and taking turns.

Morning key groups mix ages for news, events and topics with a key person. Older children help newcomers learn routines and find resources, giving each child a smaller social group within the nursery.

Write dance develops early writing skills through movement, alongside drama, parachute games, singing and signing. Older children also have early phonics activities. Movement and conversation give children different ways to participate.

In June 2026, everyday play included counting animals caught in fishing nets and discussing halves while preparing bread at snack time. A boat built in the garden prompted children to draw maps and explain their imagined journeys. These examples connect number, language and mark-making to something children already want to do, rather than separating learning from play.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School adds outdoor exploration in a space within the Vicars garden behind the nursery. Children follow their own ideas as well as adult-led activities, and learn to handle outdoor tools under supervision. The practical attraction is a dedicated setting for investigating nature, with taught safety rules alongside opportunities to experiment.

Grass and mature trees fill the main garden, used throughout the day in all weather with spare coats and wellies. The neighbouring vicarage garden hosts sports and picnics; the churchyard provides nature walks, extending outdoor activity beyond the play area.

A sensory path offers different surfaces to explore by hand, underfoot or on bikes. It adds another way to investigate textures and movement. In June 2026, children also experimented with water and guttering to move a plastic duck into a tray, and used sand timers to organise turns on a spinning seat. Physical resources supported both problem-solving and cooperation.

Family involvement has its own rhythm. The Parents & Friends Group meets each half term, and parents can also help at events without attending regular meetings. Spring Fest was planned for May 2026 as a fundraiser with music, craft and face painting. Such events give families ways to take part beyond their child's sessions, while supporting nursery resources.

Relationships and Communication

Each child's key person observes play, tracks development and works with parents. Small-group time builds familiarity with children and adults; the wider team also knows each child.

Famly is the current platform for learning updates and communication. Parents can see photographs and observations, respond to posts and add experiences from home; consultations provide time to discuss progress and concerns with the key person. This creates both a running account of nursery life and a more deliberate conversation about a child's next steps.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

SEND support has a defined structure: the key person works with the SENCo and parents on targeted or personalised plans, reviewed every six to eight weeks. Visual timetables, Now and Next Boards and timers help explain routines, while Makaton signing provides an additional communication method. A quiet area gives children somewhere to pause away from the larger group.

At the June 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that personalised support, communication picture boards and work with parents and external professionals helped children with SEND and other barriers participate and make substantial progress. The next step was to sustain high standards and seek a transformational effect on the experiences and outcomes of children facing disadvantage or other barriers, including those joining in future.

The single-level building has a wheelchair-accessible toilet. Ramps can address the garden's surface-level change and cabin step. The cabin also provides privacy for meetings, supporting discussions about individual needs.

Children can start before they are toilet trained, with parents supplying nappies or pull-ups and staff supporting toilet training when the child is ready. Families provide packed lunches; breakfast and snacks include options such as toast, cereal and fruit. The nursery has a policy excluding nuts and eggs, and develops care plans with parents for health needs.

Moving on to school includes visits, discussions with new teachers and school-themed activities. An All About Me profile passes on interests, learning preferences and support needs; children with SEN needs can also have a Communication passport explaining how best to communicate with and help them. The value is continuity: the receiving school gets information about the individual child.

Sessions and Attendance

All Saints operates for 38 weeks each year, during term time. Morning sessions run from 9.30am to 12.30pm, and afternoon sessions begin at 12.30pm and finish at 3.30pm.

Breakfast club runs from 8.30am to 9.30am with a flexible drop-off, and Late Finish extends the day from 3.30pm to 4.30pm with flexible collection. These extensions make the core sessions more adaptable, but the term-time calendar remains a central consideration for working families.

The nursery's waiting list is organised by date of birth. Siblings receive priority, and when applications exceed capacity, the length of time a child's name has been on the list is also considered. Application forms are available through the office, which can be contacted by telephone or email.

Getting There

The address is Shirley Hall, Church Street, Whitstable, CT5 1PG. An adjoining car park and a nearby bus stop provide options for collection and drop-off.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes Free for Two, up to 15 hours for eligible children, Working Parent Entitlement of up to 30 hours, and 15 Universal Funded hours from the term after a child's third birthday. Funding is delivered during term time; families using working-parent funding are responsible for reconfirming eligibility every three months. Additional hours beyond a child's funded allowance are charged privately.

The 2025–2026 terms allow the funding allowance to be used across sessions. They also describe a voluntary consumable charge added to monthly invoices: parents can opt out and supply the covered items instead, while nappies or pull-ups are supplied from home. Packed lunches are parent-provided, including for children attending funded sessions.

Those terms include a non-refundable administration fee after a place is accepted. The sessions and fees page sets out the structure; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Term-time cover. Attendance covers 38 weeks rather than the school holidays. Morning and afternoon sessions, breakfast club and Late Finish give options within that calendar, so the holiday arrangement needs to fit the family's wider childcare plan.
• Starting age and shared groups. Children start from two and a half, and key groups mix ages. During a visit, ask how settling and group activities would work for your child, especially if they are among the youngest.
• Allergies and lunchboxes. Parents supply lunch and the nursery excludes nuts and eggs under its allergy policy. Allergy-affected families should confirm current practice and discuss the child's care plan before attendance.
• Consumables and paid additions. The 2025–2026 terms permit parents to decline the voluntary consumable charge by supplying the covered items. Ask for the current written breakdown so the chosen sessions and extras are clear.

All Saints suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, with breakfast and late-finish extensions during term time. Its strongest practical attractions are the garden, Forest School space and mixed-age key groups, supported by specific mechanisms for communication and individual planning.

The June 2026 judgements add weight to an offer built around outdoor exploration and independence. Families need to accommodate holiday closures and packed lunches; transition profiles help the receiving school understand each child.