Sturry Pre-School

A wobbly bridge, bikes and ride-on cars gave outdoor play real substance at Sturry Pre-School in September 2025. Children could move between the garden and indoor activities, choosing creative work as well as physical challenges. That combination gives a useful picture of its character: learning through doing, with independence encouraged in small, practical steps.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that learning was adapted to individual needs, including those of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are 26 places in total, in a purpose-built unit beside Sturry Church of England Primary School. Children attending at the inspection were aged two to four.

The current calendar covers 38 weeks, with funded early education and privately paid sessions or additional hours. This is a term-time choice for families planning around an academic year.

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the curriculum: children learn through play, with activities adapted to their development and individual needs. Sturry adds an emphasis on children solving problems and directing their own play. The practical value is room for children to make decisions rather than simply follow an adult's activity.

In September 2025, physical development, language and social skills were central to the day. Small-group activities matched different stages of development, giving children opportunities to practise listening and joining in. Daily stories included copying animal sounds; older children explored shapes through touch and talked about their properties. These were concrete ways to connect conversation with something children could hear or handle.

Indoor and outdoor play were connected. In September 2025, art materials supported creative exploration, while the garden's wobbly bridge challenged balance and bikes and ride-on cars brought movement into shared play. Children had choices across both spaces, rather than outdoor activity being confined to a separate adult-led task.

Independence also had practical expression that September. Music marked changes in the routine, older children helped younger ones put resources away, and children learnt to handle and store equipment for tapping nails into wood. School preparation took the form of listening, participation and managing everyday tasks.

In September 2025, the key-person system began with gathering information about each child before their start. Staff developed familiarity with children's needs, while families received progress updates and ideas for continuing learning at home. This connected the child's nursery experience with family life, rather than leaving communication to occasional formal meetings.

Communication support included visual cues, simple signing and selected words linked to particular activities that September. These gave children different ways to express a preference or make themselves understood. Progress checks helped staff identify where extra help was needed and plan individual learning accordingly.

Snacks in September 2025 included vegetables, fruit and crackers, alongside conversations about healthy eating and information for parents. At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted asked the pre-school to strengthen oral-health practice because its approach to sugary drinks did not sufficiently protect children's teeth. Drinks are therefore a practical point for families to discuss.

Sessions and Attendance

The pre-school operates for 38 weeks of the year. Privately paid three-hour sessions are offered, along with additional paid hours beyond a child's eligible funded entitlement. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

In September 2025, opening hours were 9am to 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday ending at midday. Those hours describe the inspection-time opening window.

Term dates differ from those of Sturry Primary School. For families with children at both settings, separate calendars matter: a school day and a pre-school day cannot simply be assumed to coincide.

Getting There

The address is Park View, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 0NR, beside Sturry Primary School. Access uses the school's right-hand gate and an intercom.

Being beside the school does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still use the local authority admissions process for a state-school application.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible children aged two, three and four can receive funded early education here. The entitlements offered are Universal funding for 3/4 year olds, Working Parent Entitlement and Early Learning for Two Year Olds. Private hours beyond eligible funding are charged separately, so the funded allocation and any additional attendance need to be considered separately.

An administration contribution applies, with exemptions for some families eligible for certain funding. A voluntary contribution is requested each term, with an alternative arrangement for families who opt out; uniform is optional. These are separate elements of the charge structure, rather than one undifferentiated payment.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01227 719577 or by email to office@sturrypreschool.org.uk. A waiting-list application can be returned by post or email, and sessions for the next academic year are normally allocated in February or March.

• Visit timing. A family visit is required before a place is offered; visits are offered once the child has turned two and is due to start in the following September or January. Plan the application around that sequence.
• Oral health. September 2025 brought a specific improvement requirement concerning sugary drinks. At a visit, ask how drinks and tooth-friendly habits are now managed.
• Term-time planning. The 38-week calendar differs from Sturry Primary School's dates. Compare both calendars before organising care around a sibling's school year.
• Funded attendance costs. Funding and additional private hours are separate. Ask how meals and non-food consumables would be handled within your proposed booking.

Sturry suits families seeking term-time early education, whether through funded attendance, privately paid three-hour sessions or additional private hours. Its September 2025 experience combined outdoor physical challenges, communication activities and practical independence, with a key-person system linking home and nursery. The oral-health improvement point deserves a direct conversation. The visit rules and separate term calendar also make early planning useful.