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Bethersden Playschool

Ofsted: Good
(Jun 2025)
·
4.0(6 parent reviews) ·Bethersden School, Bethersden, Ashford, TN26 3AH · Kent
Number of places
15 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2025
Local authority
Kent

About this day nursery

Bethersden Playschool, situated within the peaceful grounds of Bethersden Primary School, offers a nurturing environment surrounded by scenic fields. The playschool caters to children aged two to four years old, fostering a sense of community where children of different ages learn and grow together.

Their experienced staff are dedicated to helping each child reach their full potential by following the Early Years Foundation Stage goals and providing individualised attention through a key person and buddy system. The playschool prioritises a child's well-being, aiming to build happiness, confidence, and self-esteem through positive reinforcement, engaging tasks, and attentive listening.

They offer a diverse range of activities, from outdoor play in gardens, sandpits, and playgrounds to country walks and structured classroom time. Bethersden Playschool also maintains strong connections with various professionals and organisations, including speech and language teams, children's centres, and early help teams, to ensure comprehensive support for all children and their families.

The overall goal is to provide a smooth transition for children moving on to primary school.

Our ethos

Children learn and grow together in a community, following the Early Years Foundation Stage goals. They are supported by individualised attention through a key person and buddy system, with a focus on building happiness, confidence, and self-esteem through positive reinforcement and engaging activities. They also provide comprehensive support through connections with various professionals and organisations, aiming for a smooth transition to primary school.

What it's like

Children are at the heart of this home-from-home playschool. Staff are warm and welcoming, helping children settle well and form strong bonds. Staff plan interesting and motivating activities, celebrating children's achievements and effectively developing their confidence.

Small village playschoolLocated within primary school groundsMixed-age group playFocus on well-being and self-esteemStrong links with support professionals

Pricing & funding

Charges are based on three-hour and six-hour sessions. Parents must provide a packed lunch for the longer six-hour sessions. Funded sessions have specific booking requirements across either three or five days depending on the hours claimed, with additional hours charged at an hourly rate.

Funding accepted

30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)
  • 3 hour session for non-funded children£19.50 / session
  • 6 hour session for non-funded children£39.00 / session
  • Funded children additional hours£6.50 / hour

Good to know

  • Parents must provide a packed lunch for children attending six-hour sessions.
  • Fifteen hours of funding must be claimed across three days (two full days and one half day).
  • Thirty hours of funding can be claimed by attending Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 3.00pm.
  • Additional hours not covered by government funding are billed at an hourly rate.
  • The nursery is registered with various workplace voucher schemes.

Key facts

Opening hours

9.00am – 12.00 pm, 9.00 am – 3.00 pm (term time, Mondays to Fridays)

Session types

Full day sessions, Part day sessions, Wednesday PM sessions for children moving into school the following September

Age range

two and four years old

Term time / All Year

Term Time

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Bethersden Playschool

Last inspected 3 June 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 at the heart of this home-from-home playschool. Staff are warm and welcoming, helping children settle well and form strong bonds. Staff plan interesting and motivating activities, celebrating children's achievements and effectively developing their confidence.

Inspector highlights

  • Children delight in creating their own vegetable creatures, excitedly showing staff how they have made googly eyes and whiskers for their animals.
  • Staff have created personalised plans to ensure children with SEND make good progress and seek specialist advice to ensure children receive swift and effective support.
  • Children benefit from activities designed to develop their physical skills, remaining engrossed when exploring playdough and encouraged outside to jump and climb.
  • Leaders and managers are passionate and hard working, with effective plans to develop the outdoor provision further to interest and motivate children.
  • Children demonstrate high levels of confidence, pouring their own drinks and unpacking their own lunches at lunchtime.

Areas to develop

  • 1strengthen staff understanding of how to promote positive behaviour strategies to help children learn what is expected of them and support children's developing friendships
  • 2support staff to identify when activities can be extended to support children's learning even further
Inspection #10380837 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents appreciate the support they receive themselves.

They talk fondly of the learning journals that their children bring home and the sensitive and patient staff.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) spend a long time engrossed in exploring their favourite magnetic letters. Staff skilfully support their learning by identifying with them words that begin with the letter 'm'. Staff have created personalised plans to ensure children with SEND make good progress. Staff seek specialist advice to ensure children receive swift and effective support.

Outdoor space

Children benefit from activities designed to develop their physical skills. Staff encourage them outside to jump and climb. This helps develop children's movement and coordination skills effectively.

Parent Reviews of Bethersden Playschool

4.0
(6)

Reviews from Google for Bethersden Playschool. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: June 2009

  • June 2025Good
  • June 2019Good
  • June 2015Outstanding
  • June 2009Outstanding

Frequently asked about Bethersden Playschool

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