Owl & Bear Daycare, Maidstone Nursery

Independence starts with small jobs here: pouring a drink, finding a pair of boots and learning to manage everyday care. In June 2023, even the youngest children practised pouring into their beakers, while older children put on their own footwear for outdoor play. These are useful steps towards doing things for themselves.

Despite its registered name, this setting is the Princes Avenue nursery in Chatham, ME5 7PQ, identified as Walderslade by Owl & Bear Daycare. It is separate from the group's College Road nursery in Maidstone. Children are accepted from three months to five years.

At its June 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) highly effective. The practical offer includes full days and morning or afternoon sessions, with a minimum booking of two sessions each week.

Rooms and Ages

The nursery has a BABY ROOM, TODDLER ROOM and PRESCHOOL ROOM, alongside a garden. That gives the setting separate spaces for different stages of early childhood.

In June 2023, babies had an outdoor area of their own. Indoors, however, resources offered too little scope to extend the movement skills of babies who were already cruising and walking. This matters for families choosing care for an increasingly mobile baby: floor space alone does not tell the whole story about opportunities to move.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, that means combining play, communication and practical experiences as children build their skills.

In June 2023, singing, books and conversation supported language development. Staff used questions that invited children to explain their ideas, rather than simply supply a short answer. A tray containing fruit and ice gave toddlers something concrete to investigate through smell and touch, linking sensory exploration with talk.

Activities at that time followed children's developing interests, and the day combined children's own choices with activities led by adults. Everyday independence ran through the different age groups, rather than being reserved for children approaching school.

Outdoor and Community Life

In June 2023, preschool children climbed on an octagon structure and experimented with hanging upside down. A basketball hoop also prompted children to share a ball and take turns. Outdoor equipment therefore supported both movement and learning to play alongside others.

Community experiences added another dimension. During June 2023's inspection period, children made regular local outings, including shopping for snack ingredients; visits to a church took place around harvest. Parents contributed stories and talked about their occupations. These experiences connected nursery learning with familiar people, work and everyday places.

In June 2023, staff collected detailed information from families when children started, using what children could already do to plan their care and learning. Settling began with understanding the individual child.

At the same inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator worked effectively with families and other professionals, and that children made good progress from their starting points. For parents of a child needing additional support, those working relationships were a substantial strength of the provision at that date.

Communication in June 2023 included parents' evenings and online learning journals. Staff shared ideas for learning at home, giving families something practical to use between discussions about progress. School preparation included inviting teachers to meet children who were preparing to leave.

Current staff arrangements include first aid training for all staff. Food and everyday supplies are also part of the session price: drinks, snacks and meals are included, as are suncream, wipes and nappies. That reduces the number of routine supplies families need to organise separately.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day sessions run from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The two half-day choices are a morning session from 7.30am to 1pm and an afternoon session from 1pm to 6.30pm. At least two sessions must be booked each week.

The nursery operates for 51 weeks each year, closing for bank holidays and the Christmas-to-New-Year week. This is an attendance model spanning the year, with a clear weekly minimum rather than occasional individual bookings.

Getting There

The address is Former Walderslade Medical Centre, Neighbourhood Centre, Princes Avenue, Chatham, ME5 7PQ. The Chatham location matters when planning travel, because the registered name includes Maidstone while the group's Maidstone site has a different address.

Enquiries and tour arrangements use the Nursery Request Form or the nursery's telephone contact. Current prices are available on request by telephone or email.

• Babies' indoor movement. In June 2023, indoor resources did not sufficiently extend babies' developing movement skills. On a tour, ask to see how the BABY ROOM now supports cruising, walking and larger movements.
• Changes between activities. In June 2023, some toddlers and preschool children became disengaged while preparing to move outside. Ask how staff now organise these changes so children remain occupied.
• Weekly commitment. The minimum is two sessions per week, with full-day, morning and afternoon choices. Choose a pattern that works consistently with your family's routine.
• The correct site. This profile concerns Princes Avenue in Chatham, rather than College Road in Maidstone. Make sure your enquiry and tour booking name the Chatham site.

The Princes Avenue setting suits families seeking either full-day care or morning and afternoon sessions across the year, who can commit to two sessions each week. Meals and routine consumables included in the session price simplify the practical package.

The June 2023 picture combines everyday independence, community experiences and family communication with two concrete improvement points: babies' indoor movement opportunities and the organisation of changes between activities. Those are useful priorities for a visit, especially for families choosing a baby place.