Kid Ease, Hawkinge

In April 2023, a sensory room, animated storytelling and language woven into hands-on play characterised Kid Ease, Hawkinge’s inspected provision. At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding, with examples ranging from babies exploring water during nursery rhymes to older children discussing a robin’s nest. The strongest impression is of learning built around things children can touch, investigate and talk about.

Haven Drive is home to a setting with capacity for 104 children, accepting ages from 3 to 60 months. That whole-setting figure matters when weighing the scale of the nursery; it is not the size of an individual group. The current practical offer combines private full days with morning and afternoon sessions, plus specific funded attendance patterns.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care: here, the April 2023 examples included communication through songs, mathematical comparisons during play and growing independence at mealtimes. It is the shared foundation for early education, rather than an extra programme exclusive to Kid Ease.

In April 2023, vocabulary work used the first 100 words in each room, linked to children’s interests and what they already knew. Babies handled boats and splashed water while singing nursery rhymes. The connection between an object, an action and a word made language part of an experience, rather than a separate exercise.

Storytelling had similar energy. In April 2023, children joined the movements and repeated language of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, a story used to develop recall and enjoyment of rhyme. Expressive delivery gave them a reason to participate. Small construction links supplied another kind of challenge: children concentrated on joining them and considered how far their chain might reach, while adults introduced comparisons of height and length.

These examples help parents distinguish the educational content from the activity itself. A song involved vocabulary; construction involved remembering, testing and comparing.

Outdoor and Community Life

In April 2023, a robin’s nest in the garden prompted discussion about eggs and how birds cared for them. Children compared actual eggs with paper versions and tried out descriptive vocabulary. The garden became material for conversation as well as exploration.

A visiting French teacher used a puppet to engage children with simple French words. Diwali and Holi formed part of a calendar of cultural celebrations involving parents. These were April 2023 experiences, with language and family participation giving the activities substance beyond the event names.

In April 2023, emotional comfort received practical attention: children could use a sensory room to investigate textures when anxious, and familiar comforters became puppets for conversation. That linked something reassuring from home with communication at nursery. The physical space and the familiar object served different purposes, both relevant to children adjusting to time away from their families.

At the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described prompt support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, coordinated by the SENCO and manager with relevant professionals. Those are dated findings about practice, rather than a promise about an individual child’s experience today.

Independence also featured in April 2023. Children managed toileting and handwashing and helped themselves to hot food. Babies explored the textures and tastes of cucumber and lemon, with adults introducing words for flavour. Everyday care supplied opportunities to practise skills and express preferences.

Preparation for primary school was concrete in April 2023: children visited schools and met teachers, while teachers also came to the nursery to learn about their interests. Photographs of the new school supported discussion in key groups. This addressed the unfamiliarity of moving on through people and places children could recognise.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Kid Ease Day Nursery, Haven Drive, Hawkinge, Folkestone, CT18 7RH. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays, with an Early Bird option from 7.30am to 8am. Morning and afternoon sessions sit alongside private Full Day bookings from 8am to 6pm.

Funded bookings have their own windows, available Monday to Friday: Day runs from 10am to 6pm, Morning 1 from 8am to 1pm, and Morning 2 from 8am to 2pm. These are different attendance choices, not interchangeable descriptions of the opening hours. A family choosing a funded morning needs to plan around its specific finish time.

Ad hoc additional hours are offered subject to availability. The nursery operates for 51 weeks annually. Visits can be arranged by contacting the nursery, and the telephone number is 01303 894111.

Funding and Paid Extras

The funding offer includes Working Parent Entitlement for children aged 9 months to 3 years and for 3–4-year-olds, Universal Entitlement for 3–4-year-olds, and Early Learning for 2s (EL2). Eligibility conditions apply. Both term-time and stretched entitlement patterns are described, with the nursery’s funded calendar covering 48 weeks; during the remaining three weeks, children can take a break or attend at private rates.

Private Full Day fees include lunch and tea, while catered food during funded hours is an optional separate charge, with food from home offered as an alternative. The food policy restricts allergens, so allergy-affected families should confirm current arrangements before choosing either option.

For under-twos, all sessions include nappies up to size 5, sudocream and selected formula milks. Additional learning opportunities are also included in sessions. These inclusions matter when comparing the total package rather than childcare hours alone.

Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation. Fees are paid monthly in advance, and changing a booking pattern, including opting out of food consumables, requires four weeks’ notice. A deposit applies to private bookings; funded-only children are exempt. For contracts extending beyond funded entitlement, the deposit is returned when the child leaves, provided four weeks’ written notice has been given and the account is clear.

• The youngest children’s day. The April 2023 account describes sensory play and familiar comforters, while the setting has 104 places overall. On a visit, ask about the size of your child’s group and how rest fits around its activities.
• Funded attendance across the year. The nursery operates for 51 weeks, while its funded calendar covers 48. Families need to plan for a break or private attendance during the three weeks outside that calendar.
• Food and allergies. Funded families can choose separately charged catered meals or supply food, subject to the nursery’s allergen restrictions. Confirm how your child’s dietary requirements would work with either arrangement.
• Changing the pattern. Four weeks’ notice applies to booking changes and opting out of food consumables. That makes a carefully chosen starting pattern useful for families whose working arrangements may change.

Kid Ease, Hawkinge suits families comparing private full days with shorter morning or afternoon attendance, including the specific funded morning and day patterns. Its April 2023 account gives unusually concrete examples of language learning, emotional comfort and preparation for school. The sensory room and lively storytelling make that account memorable.

The practical decision rests on the pattern that fits your week and the distinction between funded childcare and food charges. Those details deserve as much weight as the Outstanding judgement.