Flying Start Nurseries Gillingham

A Victorian house, an enclosed rear garden and play that brings different ages together give Flying Start Nurseries Gillingham its character. Beside the Garden of Remembrance, this is a nursery where babies, toddlers and preschool children share some experiences rather than spending their whole day apart. The practical appeal is clear: younger children can learn from older companions, while older children practise sharing and cooperation.

The nursery has 31 places in total and caters for children from birth to five. At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good, with strengths in language development and learning activities, alongside improvements needed in older children's independence. That balance matters. There is plenty to engage children, but the freedom to choose and pursue their own ideas deserves attention.

Rooms and Ages

Little Love Hearts covers birth to two, combining active and sensory play with stories, puppets, singing and movement to encourage communication and physical development. Daily messy play gives the youngest children opportunities to explore through their senses. Interaction with older children is also part of their experience, so the nursery's mixed-age approach begins early.

Little Diamonds, for children aged two to three, emphasises language, sharing and taking turns through creative play using materials including sand and paint. These are practical ways to connect early conversation with learning to play alongside someone else.

Pre School Stars serves children aged 3.5 to five, with an emphasis on communication and preparation for school, and outdoor play taking up much of the preschool day. The large natural garden is therefore more than an occasional change of scene: it is a substantial part of this group's experience.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage covers children's development across areas including language, relationships, physical skills, mathematics and creative expression. Here, that means combining conversation and social routines with movement, stories and hands-on play. It is the common framework for early years learning; the recognisable character comes from how the nursery arranges those experiences.

Circle time starts the day, giving children practice in sharing attention and waiting for a turn. Rooms are organised for different activities, and some play brings babies, toddlers and preschool children together. For families who value contact across ages, this is an important part of the nursery's approach.

In February 2023, practitioners introduced unfamiliar words during play and checked children's understanding. Babies and toddlers heard language connected to the objects and actions in front of them. This makes vocabulary concrete, rather than treating conversation as a separate lesson.

There was also supervised use of tools, including hammers, drills and saws, with children understanding why protective goggles mattered. These February 2023 examples show practical exploration with an explicit safety element. However, older children needed more room to investigate independently and more opportunities to make decisions and express their views.

Outdoor and Community Life

The enclosed garden behind the house provides space for exploration, while the nursery's position beside the Garden of Remembrance gives it a recognisable town setting. Babies also take walks around Gillingham and nearby places of interest, extending their experiences beyond the nursery rooms.

In February 2023, community activities included borrowing library books regularly, visiting the railway station and walking to the park. A vet, a dentist and the police also visited. These experiences connected children's play and conversation with real people and places, giving them subjects to explore beyond familiar toys and routines.

Yoga is part of the preschool offer. In February 2023, yoga took place weekly, alongside opportunities for physical activity both outdoors and indoors; that frequency belongs to the nursery's practice at that time.

Relationships and Communication

In February 2023, children turned to their key person for help and shared things they had made or found interesting. Practitioners responded to those interests, giving children a familiar adult with whom to connect. For a young child, that relationship makes the busy social world of nursery more manageable.

Communication between home and nursery is part of the baby provision, with staff working closely with parents. In February 2023, families received regular updates about learning and development. The useful combination is personal contact about everyday care and information about what a child is working on, rather than treating the two as separate concerns.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support very effective, with the SENCo coordinating work between families, practitioners and professionals to provide individual teaching and support. This is a specific account of how help was organised at that time, rather than a general promise that every need can be met.

In February 2023, everyday routines included cleaning teeth and eating balanced, nutritious food. Children also practised managing emotions and treating others considerately. Older children served their own lunch and noticed when a friend needed a plate, giving everyday care routines a social purpose as well as a practical one.

Sessions and Attendance

Flying Start is at The Lodge, Cemetery Road, Gillingham, SP8 4AZ. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday. It operates across the year, with closures at Christmas and on bank holidays, so those breaks need to fit the family's childcare arrangements.

An appointment request form allows families to select Gillingham and express a preference for a morning or afternoon visit. Enquiries can also be made by telephone on 01747 824998. The appointment route provides a practical opportunity to discuss how the mixed-age play and age-group activities work together.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded preschool education includes 15 hours a week from the term after a child's third birthday, or 30 hours depending on eligibility. The distinction between entitlement and a family's individual eligibility matters when planning attendance. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Older children's independence. In February 2023, older children needed more opportunities to pursue their own investigations and make choices. During a visit, ask how the current preschool day gives children time to develop an idea of their own.
• Mixed-age play. Babies, toddlers and preschool children share some play experiences. Discuss how Little Love Hearts activities and care routines are balanced with time alongside older children, especially if your baby needs a quieter pace.
• Moving between age groups. Little Diamonds covers ages two to three, while Pre School Stars starts at 3.5. Ask how activities and transitions are arranged for children between those stages, rather than assuming a move happens on a particular birthday.
• Funded attendance. Preschool funding includes an eligibility-dependent extended entitlement. Ask for a written attendance proposal showing how funded hours fit the booking and how meals, consumables and any additional hours are treated.

Flying Start suits families who want a small town nursery with a substantial garden, contact between different ages and learning grounded in conversation, creative materials and everyday experiences. Little Love Hearts and Little Diamonds give the younger stages clear identities, while Pre School Stars places outdoor play prominently in preparation for school.

Its February 2023 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with a clear qualification: older children's ability to choose, investigate and direct their own learning needed more attention. That is the most useful point to explore alongside the appeal of the house, garden and shared play.