Rising Stars Nursery

Indoor and outdoor play, food children help prepare and a designated contact for each family give Rising Stars Nursery in Sittingbourne a practical, play-led character. Care spans babies through to children aged five. The setting combines different stages of early childhood rather than concentrating solely on preschool preparation.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 14 March 2023. The strongest examples from that period involved older children: sustained conversations about insects, stories in small groups and opportunities to make choices for themselves. There were also specific improvements required in how staff engaged babies and toddlers and explained everyday expectations. Those distinctions matter more than the headline grade alone.

Opening hours run from 8am to 6pm on weekdays, with morning and afternoon funded sessions. A key person system and a trained special educational needs coordinator provide clear starting points for family communication and support.

Rooms and Ages

Two rooms divide care into ages 0 to 2 and 2 to 5. Movement between them can happen earlier following discussion with staff and parents, according to a child's development. This makes the room change a conversation about readiness rather than simply a birthday milestone.

Play takes place indoors and outdoors, with creative work, imaginative activities, physical movement and investigation. The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play and exploration give children opportunities to practise movement, communication and social skills. It is the common foundation for early education, rather than an additional branded programme.

Learning and Activities

In March 2023, preschool children investigated insects caught in slime, discussed their characteristics and practised words describing texture. They then extended the activity into imaginative play in the garden, pretending to move like beetles. A single interest connected conversation, observation and movement, giving children several ways to participate.

Small-group stories also supported listening and attention in March 2023, while singing brought words and actions into the day. These are concrete examples of preparation for later learning: listening to another person, joining in and expressing an idea. The younger children's experience was less consistent at that time. Staff sometimes continued activities after babies and toddlers had lost interest, reducing what they gained from them.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden provided space for imaginative play in March 2023, alongside running, jumping and climbing. Those activities gave children opportunities to practise balance and coordination as well as expend energy. Current play provision includes outdoor physical and environmental activities, so the day is not confined to indoor tasks.

Relationships and Communication

Each child and family has a key person who works with parents on the child's needs. That gives families an identified practitioner to build a relationship with, rather than relying only on whichever member of staff happens to be nearby.

In March 2023, staff discussed with parents how to extend support at home, and the manager used supervision and observation to review practice. The team at that time included practitioners with qualifications at levels 3, 5 and 6. Those are dated details about the team, rather than a description of its present composition.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and SEND support good, including the use of additional funding for resources and specialist teachers. The current support arrangements include a trained special educational needs coordinator, activities adapted to children's developmental needs and learning styles, and work with families to obtain appropriate help. These are useful mechanisms for discussing a child's individual needs.

Designated safeguarding lead roles are part of the staff structure. In March 2023, songs helped older children learn about privacy and personal safety; however, babies and toddlers sometimes received physical direction during meals or group activities without an explanation. The improvement needed was practical: clearer guidance that helps younger children understand what is happening and what is expected.

The Rainbow Healthy Eating Guide brings fruit and vegetable platters to lunch and tea, while children outside the Little Stars Room can help prepare snacks with staff supervision. Lunch can be a parent-supplied packed meal that excludes nuts and eggs, or a separately charged hot meal supplied by Zebedee's with a seasonally changing menu; families are asked to disclose allergies and dietary needs at enrolment and report later changes.

Staff also work with local schools on the transition to school. This supports children as they move from nursery to school.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Brewery Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 2EE. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and care continues through school holidays, with closure between Christmas Eve and 2 January.

Funded morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm; afternoon sessions run from 1pm to 6pm. For a 15-hour entitlement, families choose three sessions, while a 30-hour entitlement uses six sessions. Both patterns depend on session availability, so the allocation needs to fit the family's routine as well as the entitlement.

Joining enquiries use a form linked from the contact page. The nursery also accepts telephone enquiries and offers help where families need assistance with the process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Qualifying children aged 2, 3 and 4 can take funded provision of 15 or 30 hours a week. Rising Stars also participates in Kent County Council's Free for 2 scheme, which offers eligible two-year-olds up to 15 hours weekly. Eligibility does not guarantee a place at a particular provider or a particular attendance pattern. The 15-hour term-time arrangement runs over 38 weeks.

Private childcare fees are payable at the beginning of the relevant month, and absence does not remove the charge. Hospital admissions and appointments can be discussed with the manager. Families should obtain a current written quotation covering their attendance pattern and meal choices; the fees and sessions page explains the payment and funded-session arrangements.

• Care for the youngest children. In March 2023, babies and toddlers needed more engaging activities and clearer explanations during routines. On a visit, ask how staff recognise waning interest and adapt their guidance for children who are still developing language.
• Funded sessions and total costs. Funding is organised into morning and afternoon blocks, with three or six sessions according to the entitlement. Ask for a written quotation showing the proposed pattern, meal charges and arrangements for nappies and wipes.
• Dietary requirements. Packed lunches must exclude nuts and eggs, and hot lunches come from Zebedee's. Families managing allergies should confirm current food-handling arrangements and how dietary information passes between nursery staff and the supplier.

Rising Stars suits families seeking morning or afternoon funded care, as well as those needing childcare across the wider weekday opening window and school holidays. Its key person system, trained SEND coordinator and opportunities for children to investigate and make choices give parents concrete features to weigh.

The March 2023 picture was stronger for preschool learning than for the youngest children's engagement and everyday guidance. For families choosing care for a baby or toddler, those findings make everyday guidance and engagement central considerations. For older children, the combination of play, conversation, outdoor activity and school-transition work offers a clear account of what preparation can involve.