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Smarties Nursery in Maidstone

Ofsted: Good
(Apr 2022)
·
5.0(4 parent reviews)
·Postley Road, Maidstone, ME15 6TL · Kent
Number of places
24 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Apr 2022
Local authority
Kent

About this day nursery

Smarties Nursery, located in Maidstone, provides exceptional care for children aged three months to five years. The nursery prides itself on fostering strong relationships with families, believing that parents are the primary educators, and by collaborating, they support children through their early years.

Smarties Nursery operates 51 weeks a year, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm. The facility is conveniently situated less than a mile from Maidstone town centre, with easy access to train stations and schools.

The dedicated team consists of highly qualified and caring staff members who ensure a secure, happy, and nurturing environment. Children benefit from nutritional, handmade meals prepared daily, and the nursery has received a five-star rating from the Food Standards Agency.

Smarties Nursery offers a large outdoor play area that is accessible all year round, encouraging various activities and exploration. As part of The Education People Nurseries family, a specialist early years education group, Smarties Nursery is committed to delivering high-quality early childhood education and care, emphasising a home-from-home atmosphere.

Our ethos

Smarties Nursery is committed to delivering high-quality early childhood education and care, emphasising a home-from-home atmosphere. They believe parents are the primary educators and foster strong family relationships through collaboration to support children's early years.

What it's like

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at Smarties Nursery, entering happily and joining activities enthusiastically. They develop skills for their next stage of learning, with staff supporting babies and toddlers in physical coordination and language development. Children behave extremely well, showing strong emotional well-being and concentration in various activities.

Strong family relationshipsHighly qualified staffNutritional handmade mealsLarge outdoor areaPart of The Education People Nurseries family

Pricing & funding

This nursery charges age-banded rates for under twos, two-year-olds, and three-to-four-year-olds. Fees are structured around hourly rates, morning or afternoon sessions, and full days. For funded children, wrap-around care charges apply, and meals can be purchased separately if not brought from home.

Funding accepted

15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)

Good to know

  • A registration fee applies to all non-funded and combination places.
  • A refundable deposit is required for funded-hours only places.
  • Wrap-around care charges apply for funded children's additional hours and meals.
  • Meals are charged separately if not brought from home.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm (51 weeks a year, excluding bank holidays)

Food

Nutritional handmade meals prepared daily; parents can supply their own food.

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Smarties Nursery

Last inspected 20 April 2022

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 thoroughly enjoy their time at Smarties Nursery, entering happily and joining activities enthusiastically. They develop skills for their next stage of learning, with staff supporting babies and toddlers in physical coordination and language development. Children behave extremely well, showing strong emotional well-being and concentration in various activities.

Inspector highlights

  • Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They enter happily and join in activities enthusiastically.
  • Leadership and management of the nursery are strong. The manager has clear aims for children's learning and shares her vision well with staff.
  • Staff interact very warmly with the children and create a relaxed atmosphere. They offer support and encouragement for children to explore their own ideas.
  • Children develop confidence in their abilities and become very independent learners.
  • The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Areas to develop

  • 1share information provided by parents more effectively to enable staff to have the fullest possible picture to reflect and build on individual children's backgrounds and experiences
  • 2strengthen the arrangements to support children who speak English as an additional language.
Inspection #10233290 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

"their children are very happy to attend"

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

There are good arrangements to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work collaboratively with other professionals to ensure that children's care and learning needs are understood and met. The manager spends additional funding appropriately to benefit individual children.

Outdoor space

The inspector observed interactions between staff and children during a range of activities indoors and outside.

Parent Reviews of Smarties Nursery

5.0
(4)
Lucy Hampton
10 months ago

We would thoroughly recommend this lovely, warm and welcoming nursery to anyone! We are first time parents so it was all new to us putting our one year old in nursery, but the staff at Smarties are incredible! Our little boy adores the staff here and is so excited to go to nursery each time. Special mention to Diane, Auguste and Leanne! They are a credit to the nursery! Our little boy has flourished going to this nursery. Thank you all :)

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Chelsea Hewett
2 years ago

Absolutely amazing nursery. Both my sons (especially the eldest) have settled in so well! The rooms are so big with perfect activities/chill it areas with a real home from home vibe. The staff are always incredibly friendly and the children have created such great bonds with them.

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Catherine Fryer
2 years ago

My husband and I adore this setting for our son. The nursery has a calming home from home feeling to it which is exactly what we wanted for our son. All of the key workers are friendly and personable and you can tell they really care for all of the children they look after. Our son has certainly created a bond with the key workers and we can see he’s very happy there.

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Sophia Holland Thomas
3 weeks ago

We couldn’t be happier with Smarties. From the very start, the team has been incredibly supportive—especially during my return to work, where their flexibility with days made a genuinely stressful transition feel manageable. What really stands out is how much they truly care. Every time I pick up, the staff take the time to talk to me about her day—what she’s enjoyed, little moments that made her smile, and how she’s developing. It never feels rushed or transactional; you can tell they genuinely adore the children and take pride in knowing them as individuals. My daughter is so happy there, which says everything. She’s settled quickly, comes home content, and clearly feels safe and secure in their care. As a parent, that peace of mind is invaluable. The environment they’ve created is also fantastic. There’s a real emphasis on play, creativity, and exploration, both indoors and in the garden. It feels warm, engaging, and thoughtfully set up to support the children’s development while still being fun. The food is another highlight—varied, nutritious, and clearly enjoyed which is no small feat! Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend Smarties to any parent. It’s a place where children are genuinely cared for, supported, and encouraged to thrive—and where parents feel equally valued and reassured.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Smarties Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: April 2022

  • May 2022Good
  • April 2022Good

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