Town Work Play

Stories beneath an oak tree, vegetable growing and room to dig, splash and build dens give Town Work Play an outdoor character within Faversham. Based on The Abbey School site, this nursery combines nature-led play with indoor learning spaces where preschool children can move between activities. The physical setting matters: the outdoors supplies things to investigate, rather than simply somewhere to take a break.

At its 27 July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support, including signing to help communication. That assessment is dated. Its two improvement priorities were more precise activity planning for the youngest children and more opportunities for children to do things independently.

There are 45 places in total, and baby care starts from 8 months. Attendance options include a full day ending at 5pm and a 9am to 3pm day, alongside early and late additions. The important practical distinction is between private care, fully funded sessions with supplies brought from home, and an enhanced funded package carrying an additional charge.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning through play, including communication, movement, relationships and later work with books, numbers and creative expression. Town Work Play plans around children's interests and individual pace. Its initial emphasis is on language, physical development and social and emotional development; literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts follow as children grow.

Preschool children move freely between learning zones with books, toys and role-play spaces. Seasonal and natural materials carry the outdoor emphasis into indoor exploration.

In July 2023, baking interests led into dough-making, with lemon preparation supplying new vocabulary. Babies explored sensory resources during a music activity, while older children discussed fruits and their origins. These examples show the kinds of experiences used to connect language with things children can handle, taste or investigate. The weakness identified at that time was precision: activities for the youngest children were not consistently matched closely enough to their next learning steps.

Outdoor and Community Life

Stories beneath the oak tree, vegetable growing and outdoor meals connect the day with nature. Digging, splashing, swinging and den-building give children energetic alternatives to quieter storytelling.

In July 2023, children searched for insects and recorded their discoveries, and seed planting held their attention. A reading bench brought books into the garden. Those observations give substance to the nature-led approach, although they belong to that period rather than establishing a fixed activity timetable today.

The Enhanced Funding Package adds activities reviewed each term, plus celebrations and parent events across the year. Past activities include yoga, cooking, football, rugby and music or dance; the current selection matters when weighing the package.

Relationships and Communication

A child's keyworker provides the link between home and nursery, taking account of emotional, physical and developmental needs. Communication works in both directions, with parents guiding staff through their knowledge of their child. That is especially relevant for babies: sleep arrangements are guided by the family's existing approach, and baby playrooms contain age-appropriate equipment and opportunities for sensory exploration.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In July 2023, the setting had developed a quiet space, and parents received help with reading and behaviour at home. School preparation included uniforms for dressing up and displays connected with children's next schools. These were tangible ways to make an unfamiliar next step easier to discuss, rather than treating transition as a single farewell at the end of nursery.

That July, older children prepared lunch tables and shared resources, but staff sometimes missed chances to let children tackle manageable tasks themselves. Independence remained an improvement priority: adult help needed to leave more room for practice.

The nursery employed 15 staff in July 2023, with team meetings and development days supporting their work. This is a dated staffing picture, not a promise about present deployment or the number of adults in a particular room.

Within the enhanced funded package, meals and snacks are cooked from scratch each day, covering breakfast, lunch with pudding, tea and snacks. Fully funded families instead provide healthy food under the Food from Home Policy, unless they choose to purchase a food package.

Sessions and Attendance

Town Work Play occupies the Nursery Building at The Abbey School, London Road, Faversham, ME13 8RZ. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone on 01795 716056 or by email at play@townworkplay.co.uk.

The full day ends at 5pm; the shorter day runs from 9am to 3pm. An early addition starts at 7.30am, and collection extensions run to 5.30pm or 6pm. These are separate choices that can make a substantial difference to the fit with a parent's working day. The nursery operates across 50 weeks of the year, and enhanced funded care can be taken during term time or year-round.

Fully funded term-time arrangements have set booking patterns: Free for 2 Funding and Universal Funding use one nine-hour day and one six-hour day, while Working Parent Entitlement uses three nine-hour days. The nursery can change this package's delivery with four weeks' written notice. Funding entitlement does not guarantee a place or a particular attendance pattern.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funding options include Working Parent Entitlement for 9-24 Months, Free for 2 Funding, Working Parent Entitlement for 2 Year Olds, Universal Funding for 3&4 Year Olds (All Families), and 3&4 extended funding – working families. Families can use term-time funding or stretch it across the year. Stretched funding leaves two of the nursery's operating weeks uncovered, when full fees apply; attendance beyond funded hours is also charged.

The Fully Funded Package requires parents to supply food, nappies, wipes and sun cream, with food, care and activity packages available to buy. By contrast, the Enhanced Funding Package has an additional session charge covering meals, snacks, nappies, wipes, sun cream and its additional activities. These are materially different arrangements, even when both use funded hours.

For non-funded care, meals are included in the fee. A non-refundable registration charge accompanies the registration form, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the pricing and registration page sets out the charge structure. Non-funded families must give 31 days' written notice to end or reduce sessions, while funded arrangements require a full school term's written notice.

Being based on The Abbey School site does not guarantee a Reception place through nursery attendance. School preparation and school admissions are separate decisions.

• Planning for the youngest children. In July 2023, activities were not always tailored precisely enough to babies' next learning steps. During a visit, ask how the keyworker now turns observations into individual activities and how these are discussed with parents.
• Independence in everyday routines. The July 2023 improvement priority included giving children more chances to complete tasks themselves. Look for how adults judge when to help and when to let a child try, especially around meals and self-care.
• The funded package changes what you supply. Fully funded care means bringing food and consumables; enhanced funded care adds a session charge to cover these and additional activities. Compare the complete written package against the days your family needs, including the two weeks outside stretched funding.
• Term-length notice for funded care. Ending or reducing funded sessions requires a full school term's written notice, compared with 31 days for non-funded care. This matters if work arrangements change; establish which terms apply to the proposed booking before signing.

Town Work Play suits families who want nature-led play and a choice between full days ending at 5pm and shorter 9am to 3pm days, with extensions where needed. Stories beneath the oak tree, vegetable growing and free movement through preschool learning zones give the offer a recognisable shape. Parent-guided baby routines add a different kind of flexibility.

The July 2023 Good judgement provides a useful dated assessment, balanced by specific weaknesses in planning for babies and encouraging independence. Term-time places through the Fully Funded Package require supplies from home; the Enhanced Funding Package adds a charge and offers term-time or year-round sessions. The best fit depends on both the child's day and the complete booking terms.