Chatter Tots Sittingbourne

Garden plants, imaginary journeys and conversations about hand-drawn maps give Chatter Tots Sittingbourne a recognisable character. In July 2024, children explored living things outdoors and developed their ideas through pretend play with staff. These are useful examples of learning built around something a child wants to investigate, rather than an activity detached from their interests.

At its July 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. That is a dated assessment: later regulatory action also matters to the choice families make today.

The nursery has 55 places in total, with a current age range of nine to 60 months. Tiny Tots and the Main Room provide its named room structure, while the garden adds an outdoor setting for play and exploration.

Rooms and Ages

Tiny Tots is the baby room; the Main Room is for children aged two to four. Those labels give families a clear starting point for understanding the nursery's organisation, while the garden provides another space beyond the rooms themselves.

In July 2024, babies received help to become settled before moving into learning experiences. Older children practised doing tasks for themselves as part of preparation for school. The emphasis changed with their stage of development: feeling secure came first for the youngest, while independence became more prominent for older children.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. In everyday parent language, it brings learning and care together, rather than treating play, communication and personal development as separate parts of the day.

In July 2024, staff joined imaginary vehicle journeys and used children's maps to prompt conversation. Stories were read expressively, unfamiliar words were modelled and simple signing sometimes accompanied speech. These examples show the practical tools used to give children ways to communicate, from spoken exchanges to gestures.

Playdough, mark-making tools and containers for pouring water also featured that month. Each gave children something to manipulate or experiment with, placing hand movements and exploration inside play rather than making them isolated exercises.

Outdoor and Community Life

In July 2024, children cared for plants they were growing in the garden and learnt about small creatures they discovered there. Staff extended those encounters into discussions about living things. The physical garden therefore had a learning purpose as well as providing outdoor space: children could connect care with something growing in front of them.

Relationships and Communication

In July 2024, staff assessed children's developing knowledge and skills to plan subsequent learning. However, communication with families was less consistent. Some parents were unclear about their child's key person, and information about progress and ways to continue learning at home was not shared consistently.

That distinction matters. Planning inside the nursery and communication beyond it are different parts of a child's care, and families need a clear relationship with the person responsible for connecting them. In July 2024, improving that partnership was a required next step.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The group-wide SEND arrangements used at this branch include strategies shaped around children's interests and strengths, work with specialist agencies, and reviews with parents at least every three months. Activities and surroundings are adapted to help children take part. This gives families a defined review process through which support can be discussed and adjusted.

In July 2024, staff shared information with other settings, including support plans for children with additional needs. That work connected preparation for the next setting with information about the individual child, rather than treating transition solely as practising independent tasks.

Behaviour guidance needed greater consistency that month. Some staff explained expectations clearly, but children running in confined spaces were not always helped to understand the danger. The improvement needed was an explanation children could understand and a consistent response from adults.

Ofsted's regulatory outcomes dated 15 April 2025 and 30 April 2026 followed concerns about staffing ratios and premises safety, found some requirements unmet, and recorded corrective action. In April 2025, staff deployment systems were strengthened and resource risk assessments revised; in April 2026, the premises were altered to address safety and suitability. Both outcomes recorded that the provider remained registered, but the recurrence of these subjects deserves attention alongside the earlier Good judgement.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks of the year. Both funded and non-funded sessions are offered. The opening window gives working families a useful practical reference, while the annual schedule means the nursery operates beyond a term-time calendar.

The Sittingbourne contact number is 07720 302432. Enquiries can also be made through the contact form or by email to Sittingbourne@chattertotsltd.co.uk.

Getting There

The address is rear of 70–72 West Street, Sittingbourne, ME10 1AR. Cockleshell car park is opposite the nursery and operates on a pay-and-display basis, so parking brings a separate practical cost to collection and drop-off.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts up to 30 hours government funding, subject to eligibility, alongside non-funded sessions. Families should obtain a current written quotation for private childcare before making a financial commitment.

• Repeated safety action. The April 2025 and April 2026 outcomes both recorded corrective action after regulatory concerns involving staffing ratios and premises safety. A visit is an opportunity to discuss how the changes are maintained in everyday practice.
• Your key-person relationship. Communication about key persons and children's progress needed improvement in July 2024. Ask how your family will receive updates and maintain continuity between home and nursery.
• Consistent behaviour guidance. In July 2024, explanations of expectations varied between staff. Ask how adults now help children understand rules, especially during active play in smaller spaces.
• Attendance and the full bill. Funded and non-funded sessions sit within the 51-week opening schedule. Ask how your intended attendance would be booked and how funded hours, meals and consumables would appear in the quotation.

Chatter Tots Sittingbourne suits families seeking care across the year, with either funded or non-funded attendance. Its named baby room, garden and practical SEND review arrangements give parents concrete points to assess, while the July 2024 examples show how conversation and hands-on play shaped children's experiences.

The decision also needs to account for the repeated regulatory safety action and the earlier weaknesses in parent communication and behaviour guidance. A clear account of how those changes work in daily care should carry substantial weight when choosing this nursery.