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Benjamin Rabbit Nursery At Holborough Lakes

Ofsted: Good
(Jan 2025)
·
4.1(9 parent reviews)
·Benjamin Rabbit Nursery At Holborough Lakes, 1 Manley Boulevard, Snodland, ME6 5GB · Kent
Number of places
72 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2025
Local authority
Kent

About this day nursery

Benjamin Rabbit Nursery, located in both Chatham and Snodland, provides a nurturing and stimulating environment for children aged 3 months up to pre-school. The nursery is dedicated to fostering social and educational development through engaging activities and play, with a strong emphasis on outdoor learning, including regular forest school experiences at a local working farm for pre-school children.

They aim to work closely with parents and carers to ensure each child's individual needs are met, ensuring a positive and enriching experience. The staff are highly qualified and experienced, committed to continuous professional development, and capable of supporting children with diverse needs, including learning disabilities.

The nursery boasts well-equipped rooms tailored for different age groups and offers convenient transportation for off-site activities in their own minibus. Benjamin Rabbit Nursery prides itself on creating a secure, safe, and motivating setting where children can thrive, develop strong bonds with their carers, and enjoy a variety of learning and play opportunities.

They also emphasise healthy and nutritious food, with all meals prepared fresh on-site, and provide nappies and wipes as part of their fees.

Our ethos

Benjamin Rabbit Nursery is dedicated to fostering social and educational development through engaging activities and play, with a strong emphasis on outdoor learning, including regular forest school experiences. They aim to work closely with parents and carers to ensure each child's individual needs are met, creating a secure, safe, and motivating setting where children can thrive.

What it's like

Children are happy and positive relationships are quickly established at this nursery. The effective key-person system, and strong bonds that staff form with children, enables them to feel safe and secure in their environment. Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that succinctly builds on previous learning as they transition through the nursery.

Forest School experiencesFocus on outdoor activitiesSupports children with SENDFreshly prepared meals

Pricing & funding

Fees are calculated by annualising weekly session costs over 52 weeks and dividing by 12 for a flat monthly rate. Full day fees include breakfast, lunch, tea, snacks, nappies, and wipes. Half-day sessions include breakfast or tea, though morning sessions require an additional charge for lunch.

Funding accepted

15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare
  • Babies 3 months to 2 years - Extended Day£80.00 / day
  • Babies 3 months to 2 years - Session (7.00am to 1.00pm)£50.50 / session
  • Babies 3 months to 2 years - Full Day (7.30 am to 6.30 pm)£76.00 / day
  • Babies 3 months to 2 years - Session (7.30 am to 1.00 pm)£46.50 / session
  • Babies 3 months to 2 years - Session (1.00 pm to 6.30 pm)£46.50 / session

Good to know

  • Fees are payable monthly in advance by Direct Debit or BACS by the 7th of the month.
  • Monthly bills are calculated by annualising weekly sessions over 52 weeks for a flat rate.
  • Full-day fees include all meals, snacks, nappies, and wipes.
  • Morning sessions include lunch but require an additional lunch fee.
  • Afternoon sessions include afternoon tea but do not include lunch.

Key facts

Food

All full day prices include a breakfast, snacks, lunch and an afternoon tea. A session will include in the price a breakfast or afternoon tea. Our food is freshly prepared at the nursery, it is healthy and nutritious, and we cater for a range of dietary requirements. We also provide nappies and wipes included in the fees.

Opening hours

7am to 6.30pm, all year round

Age range

3 months to pre-school age

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Benjamin Rabbit Nursery At Holborough Lakes

Last inspected 27 January 2025

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are happy and positive relationships are quickly established at this nursery. The effective key-person system, and strong bonds that staff form with children, enables them to feel safe and secure in their environment. Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that succinctly builds on previous learning as they transition through the nursery.

Inspector highlights

  • Children are happy and positive relationships are quickly established.
  • Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that succinctly builds on previous learning.
  • Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.
  • The provider has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development across the nursery, including "outdoor adventures".
  • Children access a range of opportunities to develop their emerging physical skills, including trips in the community.

Areas to develop

  • 1support all staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn particularly in the baby room
  • 2improve the organisation of transition times, such as lunch time and preparation for outdoor play, to ensure that all children are fully engaged at these times.
Inspection #10377598 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to access the curriculum. Staff have a good understanding of the individual needs of the children and adapt their teaching to ensure everyone can access the curriculum. The provider works well with outside agencies and invites specialist teachers into the nursery to observe children and ensure all staff are consistent with their approaches.

Outdoor space

Outside children show perseverance to learn new skills such as how to climb the steps to the slide. The provider has introduced 'outdoor adventures' where pre-school children access a local farm to explore wildlife, animals and build camp fires. Children enjoy navigating the rope bridge and show a keen interest in the mud kitchen, filling containers and making 'mud cakes'.

Parent Reviews of Benjamin Rabbit Nursery At Holborough Lakes

4.1
(9)
Sofia L
3 years ago

My daughter has been at Benjamin Rabbit since she was 9 months old and is almost 2. It has by far been the best decision I could have made for her. All the staff are amazing, with a friendly, welcoming and warm approach, I know that my daughter is in safe hands. I get a full daily update including all the activities that my daughter has participated in aswell as a food, naps and nappy change diary. They have helped her in progressing her skills and achieving her milestones! My daughter goes into nursery excited to see her friends and the staff and comes out with a smile on her face and excited to tell me what fun she has had throughout the day! I cannot thank the staff enough for making it such an easy transition from home to nursery, you really are all amazing! I would highly recommend Benjamin Rabbit, Holborough. Thank you all again!

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Jade Reardon
3 years ago

Benjamin Rabbit nursery is one of a kind. My son is 3 years old, non-verbal and has autism. He has struggled to settle and cope at previous settings, but not here and that is all down to the care and attentiveness of the staff. They see him for the little boy that he is and not the diagnosis he has. Having a child with additional needs is an extra worry when leaving them in childcare while you work. But he is so settled and so happy at benjamin rabbit which reflects in the relationships he has built with the staff. In the short time he has been there, the staff have really invested time in getting to know him and his ways. He runs in smiling and comes out still smiling. He is always so happy to see the staff as they are to see him. Benjamin rabbit is the best decision we ever made.

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Josie X
3 years ago

Benjamin Rabbits snodland have been wonderful with my son, he has been going there since he was just over a year old and is two and half now and absolutely loves it! The staff are so friendly and let me know how he's been all day and what he's been up to, it reassures me that he's in safe hands. I have never had any concerns. The staff are very understanding and you can talk to them about anything, they are very supportive with milestones like potty training and are very knowledgeable. For a baby born during the pandemic with very few social skills due to lockdown and not seeing anyone he is now bubbly, talkative and socialising like he should! He is happy to walk in now after being quite shy to begin with and knows his favourite people on the team by name! (Honey and Paige!😊) Would definitely recommend!

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Andrea Ratford
3 years ago

My Twin boys are 3 years old! We started originally started their journey at Clocktower Nursery as our daughter who is 8 also went there. After a terrible Exit we were false to look for an alternative nursery. I was very apprehensive to view Benjamin Rabbit because of the bad reputation they DID have and after reading all the comments on Holborough lakes FB page and also having looked at the nursery 5 years ago. However we decided to make our own decision and took a chance to go and visit the nursery as we had heard it was under new management. I am so glad we did not listen to gossip and actually went there personally with our boys for a viewing. From the get go they interacted with our boys without even acknowledging me. Which in my eyes is priority after all it is them they will be attending there not me. The staff were absolutely amazing and I just got this warm feeling and just knew it was right for them. They have been going to this nursery now since September and our only regret is that we didn't send them there from the get go. Within 4-5 months they have already improved so much, their confidence has grown and I don't have to worry at all about them when they are in nursery. They both need extra help especially one of the twins who has just recently been diagnosed with Autism. They have catered for his needs and have been amazing with him. At the previous nursery they only did 2 half days and I was called almost everytime to go and collect them because they just could not cope with the extra attention they required. However they both now go for 3 full days which is 10hours -a day and I am so comfortable whilst they are there that I am now able to go to work in Chislehurst and do my job rather than having to WFH and wait for a call to collect them. (I had to give up my London job because i was needed at home so much) They are both at the nursery for the whole of their 10hours a day and I do not get one phone call to say i have to go and get them. When i drop them off the boys are welcome with open arms and when we collect them, the staff especially their keyworker take the time to stand outside and tell me all about the boys day and how much fun they have had. Our boys are not just there for numbers or headcount they are there as part of a family and they have the best time. I will be very sad when the time comes for them to start infant school. Thank you Julie and all the staff you an amazing job. Please don't listen or read poor reviews from the nursery it once was that do not reflect on the nursery it is today! Take a visit and see for yourself and make your own mind up. My husband and I highly recommend it xx

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Charlotte Adams
3 years ago

My daughter currently attends and loves all her little friends. She has recently moved from Toddlers to Preschool and has built up good, strong relationships with her keyperson in each room. She always asks me when shes going to "school" next. I find she comes home having learned something new every visit. Positive, informative and family oriantated little nursery. We're very happy here.

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Reviews from Google for Benjamin Rabbit Nursery At Holborough Lakes. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: April 2019

  • January 2025Good
  • November 2019Good
  • April 2019Requires improvement

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