New House Nursery School

An outdoor patio for Goslings, year-round outdoor access for Cygnets and a developmental record called My Journey Through New House give this Canterbury nursery a clear character: play, independence and an account of how each child is growing. New House Nursery School takes children aged two to five and has 55 places in total. Its age-group rooms make the progression towards school tangible.

At its November 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found safeguarding effective. The detail behind that judgement matters: children explored seasonal changes, took responsibility for practical tasks and learned about people beyond their own families. These were purposeful experiences rather than activities filling the timetable.

Full-time and term-time attendance are both offered, alongside half-day placements. That gives families different ways to use the setting, with the practical terms deserving as much attention as its outdoor character.

Rooms and Ages

Ducklings serves two-year-olds, with play and close relationships guiding the room's approach; Goslings, for children aged three to four, has free-flow access to an outdoor patio; Cygnets, for children aged four and above, combines continuous outdoor access with an emphasis on creativity, individuality and independence before school.

The patio is a useful practical feature. For Goslings, outdoor play can sit alongside indoor activity throughout the day. Cygnets also has access outside across the seasons, making outdoor experience part of the room's ordinary rhythm rather than an occasional addition.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS shapes learning through play, covering language, movement, relationships and early skills in reading, number and understanding the world. Activities include cooking, singing, art, role-play and mathematical exploration, with children choosing some experiences and adults leading others. Planning takes account of children's interests as well as the skills they are developing.

Forest school sessions add outdoor learning, alongside daily play outside. Optional ballet/dancing is taught by a professional dance instructor. The combination gives children opportunities for movement in different forms, while the balance of adult-led and child-chosen activity leaves room for their own interests.

In November 2024, younger children explored autumn through painting, songs and gathering leaves, while older children cut out pictures and investigated different leaves and the reasons they fall. The progression was concrete: a shared seasonal theme led to different kinds of challenge, rather than every age doing the same task.

Parents receive Medium Term Plans explaining the intended areas of learning for each term. These make the themes useful beyond the nursery day: families can understand what children are exploring and recognise connections with their interests at home.

Outdoor and Community Life

In November 2024, the outdoor area supported a sensory retelling of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, with music, movement and a paper snowstorm. A familiar story became something children could act out and experience physically. This is a stronger picture of outdoor learning than a simple claim that children spend time outside.

Community experiences also had substance. In November 2024, children participated in annual fundraising for local charities connected with attending families, and older children discussed the guide dog they sponsored. These experiences gave conversations about difference and helping others a practical reference point.

Relationships and Communication

In November 2024, staff took time to understand individual children, and classroom displays included children's work and family boards. The boards gave children material for talking about themselves and learning about one another. Personal identity had a visible place in the rooms.

Development is documented through My Journey Through New House, the nursery's individual developmental records, together with regular written progress reports. Parents of two-year-olds also receive a written review covering the prime areas of development. This provides several ways to follow a child's learning, rather than relying only on brief conversations.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND made exceptional progress, supported by adapted teaching, specialist staff, targeted resources and additional staff training. The important detail is how support worked: developmental gaps prompted action, and additional funding was used for help matched to individual children.

Everyday independence received attention too. In November 2024, younger children collected their outdoor clothing, while older children served lunch to friends as lunch helpers. Staff allowed time for children to try tasks themselves and encouraged perseverance. For families preparing for school, these practical habits matter alongside early letter sounds and simple reading.

Meals are freshly prepared, with lunch included for full-day attendance and offered as an addition for half-day placements. Snacks are provided during the day, and the after-school club has a tea menu.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 9 New House Lane, Canterbury, CT4 7BG. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with term-time and all-year attendance options. Full-day and half-day placements are offered, and the after-school club runs from 3.30pm to 6pm.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form, which asks for the intended start date and required sessions or hours. This gives families a direct route to discuss their attendance pattern. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education is offered; in November 2024, provision covered children aged two, three and four. The funding discussion should sit alongside the attendance pattern, since full-time care and term-time attendance represent different practical commitments.

Full-day lunch is included, while families using half-day placements can add lunch. A separately priced equipment package covers a nursery smock, puddle suit, boot bag and water bottle, plus the loan of a sun hat. Optional ballet/dancing is a separate choice of activity.

Invoices are issued termly in advance, bank holidays are charged, and holiday-school bookings are invoiced separately. Fees are reviewed each September. Withdrawal requires a full term's written notice; otherwise, a term's fees are payable. These are consequential terms for families whose working arrangements or childcare plans may change.

• The attendance pattern. Full-day, half-day, term-time and all-year options serve different needs. At a visit, discuss how the chosen pattern would work within your child's age-group room.
• The financial commitment. Termly advance invoicing, bank-holiday charges and a full term's written withdrawal notice affect flexibility. Read the quotation alongside these terms before committing.
• The funded-hours package. Ask how funded hours fit the intended attendance pattern and which meal, snack and everyday consumable costs apply to it.

New House Nursery School suits families seeking either full-day or half-day care, with a choice between term-time and all-year attendance. Its strongest practical features are outdoor access for older groups and written developmental reporting that helps parents follow learning. The November 2024 Outstanding judgement adds weight, with concrete examples of independence and individual support beneath it. The balance to weigh is financial flexibility: advance invoices and the withdrawal notice make the attendance decision a substantial commitment.