1st Friends Nursery

Balance beams in the garden and books borrowed for home give a concrete picture of life at 1st Friends Nursery in March 2023: physical exploration sat alongside stories and language. This Gillingham setting operates at Roko Health Club and now caters for children aged two to five, with capacity for 24 children.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The practical opening window is 7.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing play and everyday experiences into their education.

In March 2023, children chose books for themselves, joined familiar story phrases and used props during storytelling. Borrowing books extended that experience into family reading at home. In smaller storytelling groups, children also predicted how a story might end, giving them a chance to contribute their own ideas.

Garden play that March included balance beams and learning to judge physical risks. Children could test their coordination while staff supervised. Connections with a former staff member doing charity work in Cambodia brought another dimension: updates helped introduce children to life beyond their own surroundings.

In March 2023, children settled readily and had close relationships with staff, who knew their needs well. Practitioners used children's interests and observations to plan activities, rather than treating every child as having the same starting point.

In March 2023, communication linked children's learning at nursery and at home. Staff shared learning information and ideas for activities at home, while story workshops gave parents a way to participate alongside their children. These were practical links between nursery experiences and family life.

Everyday independence also featured in March 2023. Children made play choices, helped clear up at lunchtime and washed their hands before meals. Conversations about food and oral health connected those routines with looking after themselves.

The address is C/O Roko Health Club, Off Will Adams Way, Gillingham, ME8 6BY. The nursery opens throughout the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas; weekday opening hours are 7.30am to 5pm.

In March 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. That dated participation should be kept separate from the current opening arrangements.

• Group learning. In March 2023, staff positioning and preparation sometimes meant children could not hear whole-group activities clearly. On a visit, ask how larger activities are organised so every child can participate.
• Listening and turn-taking. In March 2023, children sometimes talked over each other, and staff support for listening was inconsistent. Ask how practitioners help children wait, listen and contribute.
• Attendance and funding. The opening window runs from 7.30am to 5pm on weekdays, while the funding detail dates to March 2023. Ask which booking pattern and funded arrangement would fit your child, with current prices in a written quotation.

1st Friends Nursery suits families seeking care for children aged two to five within its weekday opening window. The March 2023 picture offers useful substance: garden challenges, shared stories and practical parent involvement. The reservations are equally specific. Organisation of larger activities and consistent support for listening deserve attention when judging how the nursery would work for your child.