From
£87/day
Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school
Unit NURS 1, Dockside Outlet Centre, Maritime Way, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, Kent, ME4 3ED
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 70 Limited spaces
County childcare guide
Nurseries & Daycare in Kent
Toddle lists 9 nurseries across Kent, in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Chatham, Margate, Herne Bay, Dover and Aylesham. Ofsted rates Townsend Montessori Nursery Margate and Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school in Chatham Outstanding, and 7 more Good.
8 take babies (the most around Tunbridge Wells) and 8 are open all year round, and 6 accept the 30 funded hours for working parents.
Kent County Council runs funded childcare and SEND support for most of the county, while Medway (including Chatham) has its own council. Ask Doddle above about nurseries near Tunbridge Wells and Kingswood, or pick a town below.
How much is nursery in Kent, and where are they?
8 take babies from 6 months. 8 of the 9 are open all year round rather than term time only.Checked 26 Oct 2026
Source: Ofsted inspection reports and the fees and details each nursery publishes.
Childcare numbers for Kent
Daily fees range
Per day
£87–£94
Outstanding nurseries
22% of nurseries
2
Funded childcare
67% offer funding
6
Total nurseries
Across Kent
9
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Top nurseries
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Showing 1–3 of 9 selected nursery listings · 9 total in this area.
Area avg from
£111/day*
Townsend Montessori Nursery Margate
Tempest House, 10 Cowper Road, Margate, Kent, CT9 1SX
Montessori Capacity 72 Spaces available
From
£94/day
N Family Club Tunbridge Wells - St John's
Newcomen Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9PA
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 79 Spaces available
Area avg from
£111/day*
Bright Horizons Maidstone Boughton Lane Day Nursery and Preschool
Boughton Lane, Loose, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 9QF
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 61 Waiting list
Area avg from
£111/day*
Choochoos Day Nursery Dover
Crabble Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 0QD
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 51 Spaces available
Area avg from
£111/day*
Kingswood Pre School Group
Kingswood Village Hall, Gravelly Bottom Road, Kingswood, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 3PX
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Capacity 30 Limited spaces
Area avg from
£111/day*
Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Tunbridge Wells
32-34 St Johns Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9NT
Play-Based Capacity 94 Limited spaces
Area avg from
£111/day*
Sunshine Corner Nursery
The grounds of Aylesham Primary School, Attlee Avenue, Aylesham, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 3BS
Play-Based Capacity 57 Spaces available
Area avg from
£111/day*
Townsend Montessori Nursery Herne Bay
Beaumont House, Beaumont Street, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 8LX
Montessori Capacity 48 Spaces available
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Types of childcare
Types of nursery in Kent
Looking for a baby nursery, a private day nursery or a pre-school near you in Kent? Here is how many of each we list, from the 9 nurseries on this page. Ask Doddle above for the ones that suit your child.
- 8Baby nurseriesTake babies, usually from 6 months
- 8Day nurseries open all yearFull days, all year round, for working parents
- 1Pre-schools and nursery schoolsFor 2 to 5 year olds, often term time
- 1Term-time onlyClose in the school holidays
- 2Montessori nurseriesChild-led Montessori approach
- 2Rated OutstandingOfsted's top grade
- 6Offer funded hours15 or 30 funded hours
Map view
Map every nursery in Kent Nurseries near Kent
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Nursery cost calculator
How to Calculate Nursery Fee in Kent?
Get a quick estimate of what childcare could cost your family each week and month in Kent.
1
Your childcare week
Set the schedule you need.
2
Child and daily fee
Your local average, matched to their age.
Kent average
£91/day
3
Likely support
Choose the support you expect to use.
Before support
£1183
per month
Likely support
£0
per month
You pay
£1183
per month
Estimated cost in Kent
£273/week
· £14196/year
Based on the area average of £91/day
Estimates based on average UK nursery rates (Coram Childcare Survey 2024). Actual fees vary by provider and registration costs.
Funded childcare guide
How to Apply for Funded Childcare in Kent?
The nursery postcode districts represented on this page map to these official local authorities. Choose your council below; your home postcode determines which one handles your application.
Visit Kent County CouncilPostcodes: CT3–CT17 · ME15–ME17 · TN4
Visit Medway CouncilPostcodes: ME4
Helpful answers
Nursery questions in Kent
What are the best nurseries in Kent?
Going by Ofsted, two nurseries we list in Kent are rated Outstanding: Townsend Montessori Nursery Margate (Margate) and Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school (Chatham).
How many nurseries are there in Kent?
We list 9 nurseries in Kent so far, spread over 8 postcode districts, with the biggest groups in Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone.
Which Kent nurseries take babies?
8 of the 9 take babies, usually from around 6 months, and Tunbridge Wells has the most baby places we list. The other one, Kingswood Pre School Group in Kingswood, is for 2 to 5 year olds.
Are Kent nurseries open all year round?
8 of the 9 open all year round; the one that follows term dates is Kingswood Pre School Group in Kingswood. Each nursery's page shows its opening hours, so you can check early drop-off and late pick-up times before you visit.
What are the Kent deadlines for applying for funded childcare?
Kent uses three main deadlines. Parents need an eligible working-parent code by 31 August for the autumn term, 31 December for the January term or 31 March for the term beginning after Easter. Applying after the relevant deadline can delay when funded childcare starts.
Can Kent funded hours be split between two childcare settings?
Yes. Kent allows funded hours to be divided between participating settings, such as a nursery and childminder. A child can use funded childcare at no more than two sites in one day, and the hours claimed by each setting must be recorded separately.
What additional SEND funding can Kent nurseries receive?
Kent early-years providers supporting eligible preschool children can access the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF). Settings can also receive £910 per child per year through the Disability Access Fund, while eligible children can attract up to £387.60 a year through Early Years Pupil Premium.
Is Medway included within Kent nursery funding arrangements?
No. Although Medway is geographically within the wider Kent area, it is a separate unitary authority. Kent County Council's childcare funding and early-years arrangements cover its 12 districts but do not administer provision in places such as Chatham, Rochester or Gillingham.
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