Wings Nursery

Art, music and a nursery day spread across two levels give Wings Nursery its character. At this Sittingbourne setting, younger children have their space downstairs, while the older age group uses the upper level. Daily phonics and maths sit alongside time for children to pursue their own learning, making school preparation a concrete part of the day rather than a vague promise.

At its December 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Wings Nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The detail behind that judgement matters: children enjoyed creative activities, staff joined in their games, and learning continued at home through books and activity bags. There was also a clear improvement point concerning how learning was planned in the garden.

Wings accepts children aged 2 to 5 and operates at Unit 1, Castle Road Technology Centre. Its attendance options include full days, shorter days, mornings and afternoons. That breadth gives families several ways to fit nursery around their week, subject to the minimum booking requirement.

Rooms and Ages

The building separates children by age across its two levels: downstairs accommodates 2 to 3 year olds, and upstairs accommodates children aged 3 to 5. This is an age-based arrangement, with preschool preparation explicitly built into the nursery day. Gulls Room and Puffins Room each have a room leader role.

A structured routine leaves space for spontaneous activity. Adult-led learning alternates with children's own learning time, combining planned teaching with opportunities to follow their interests.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, that means helping children develop through play, interaction and planned experiences; at Wings, the routine includes daily phonics and maths for preschool children. Alongside these, write dance and clever hands activities support physical development.

In December 2024, art and music were used to support emotional wellbeing. Younger children selected songs they knew, while older children explored different musical styles with ribbon movements. Artwork inspired by different artists was displayed, giving children something tangible to talk about and take pride in. These examples show creative expression woven into the learning day, rather than confined to a finished picture to take home.

Seasonal learning at that time also changed with children's development. Younger children combined craft materials and songs to build vocabulary; older children examined pictures and explained the clues that identified a season. The difference was in what children were asked to think about, not simply which activity they received.

Outdoor and Community Life

In December 2024, children enjoyed garden play, but staff did not consistently extend their thinking outdoors. More precise curriculum planning was needed to make outdoor activities challenging as well as enjoyable.

Past celebrations add another glimpse of nursery life. Carnival 2025 used The Very Hungry Caterpillar as its theme, and Father's Day Stay and Play 2025 offered a shared event for families. These are dated examples of participation, rather than promises about the next events calendar.

Relationships and Communication

Development discussions and parent workshops about learning at home help families connect nursery activities with experiences outside their sessions.

In December 2024, older children used home learning books and younger children took activity bags home. Children then shared their learning during circle time. That creates a link between home and nursery, with something concrete for children to bring back and discuss. The same month's observations included adults modelling considerate behaviour and children practising sharing and taking turns through games.

Settling is adapted to individual needs under the SEND policy. The admissions process also gathers dietary requirements, health information, allergies and collection arrangements before attendance begins. Those details have a direct role in care planning: staff need to understand the child they are supporting, not only the sessions booked.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its December 2024 inspection, Ofsted praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including timely referrals, manageable targets and collaboration with families and professionals. The current SEND arrangements give that support a defined structure: a SENCO works with the child's key person and parents through assessment, planning, action and review.

Support plans are reviewed termly with parents. The key person carries out the agreed support in daily practice, while the SENCO helps assess how the child responds and liaises with outside professionals when appropriate. For a family needing additional support, these are useful mechanisms to discuss: who does the daily work, how progress is reviewed and how parents contribute to decisions.

All staff have paediatric first aid training. Accident procedures require parents to be told about treatment and shown the accident record, providing a clear route for communication after an incident. Prescription medication requires parental authorisation, with administration details recorded and acknowledged by parents.

Children staying for lunch bring a packed lunch, which is refrigerated until mealtime; full-day attendance includes provision of breakfast and two snacks, without implying these are included in the fee. The food policy gathers allergy information before attendance, provides for individual dietary plans where appropriate and considers seating to reduce food cross-contamination.

Sessions and Attendance

Wings opens from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks a year. The minimum booking of two three-hour sessions weekly accommodates repeated short sessions as well as longer attendance.

Full Day runs from 7.30am to 5.30pm, and Standard Day from 9am to 3pm. Longer day runs from 9am to 5pm; Breakfast and longer day offers an 8am to 4pm pattern. The shorter day options matter for families who want substantial nursery time but do not need the entire opening window.

Morning choices include 7.30am to noon and 9am to noon. Longer morning and lunch runs from 8am to 1pm, while Morning session and lunchtime runs from 9am to 1pm. Afternoon sessions begin at 1pm and finish at 4pm, 5pm or 5.30pm; Lunch and afternoon session begins at noon and ends at 5pm. Breakfast Time and Lunch hour are also separately listed attendance options.

A waiting list operates. Admissions priorities begin with looked-after children and include specified additional needs and vulnerability categories before siblings and local families. A full-time booking may receive preference over part-time attendance, depending on work commitments, occupancy and room availability. Families leaving must give four weeks' notice.

Getting There

The address is Unit 1, Castle Road Technology Centre, Castle Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 3RG. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes free for 2, Working families funding for two-year-old and 30 hours for eligible children, subject to availability. Funded places follow a first-come allocation rule, and intake is termly, beginning in the term after the child's second or third birthday.

The usual shorter funded pattern is five mornings from 9am to noon or five afternoons from 1pm to 4pm, with other arrangements discussed individually. Private attendance is offered alongside funded hours. Parents provide lunch for lunchtime attendance, including when attending on funded hours; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the fees page sets out the session choices and notice terms.

• Outdoor challenge. In December 2024, garden learning needed more precise planning. During a visit, ask how staff now extend children's thinking outdoors and how this differs between the younger and older groups.
• Attendance priorities. Bookings require at least two three-hour sessions weekly, and full-time attendance may take preference under specified conditions. Discuss how your proposed pattern fits those rules before planning your working week around it.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Lunch comes from home, and the food policy provides for individual allergy planning. Allergy-affected families should confirm current arrangements for lunch storage, seating and the snacks served.

Wings suits families seeking either repeated morning or afternoon sessions, or a full or shorter nursery day, with daily preschool learning and opportunities to continue activities at home. Its two-level age arrangement and creative learning examples give the setting a recognisable character.

The strongest inspection detail concerns individual support and engaged interactions. Garden learning is the balancing consideration. For parents, the decision rests on whether the attendance options, packed-lunch routine and approach to supporting their child fit family life.