Poppins Pre-School
Poppins Pre-School is a day nursery in Gillingham for children aged 2 to 4, with 52 registered places. Ofsted, 27 January 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective.
Lampard Centre, Sally Port Gardens, Gillingham, ME7 5BU
Key facts
- Type
- Day nursery (Full day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Ages
- 2 to 4 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered places
- 52 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Children on roll
- 52 (Ofsted report, inspection on 27 January 2023, published 1 March 2023)
- Funded early education
- Yes, the report says it provides funded early education (Ofsted report, inspection on 27 January 2023, published 1 March 2023)
- Staff
- A team of 11 staff work with the children. Of these, eight hold relevant early years qualifications. (Ofsted report, inspection on 27 January 2023, published 1 March 2023)
- Registered
- 1 October 1996 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Opening hours
It is open each weekday from ,9am to 4pm, during school term time.
Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 27 January 2023, published 1 March 2023
Who runs it
Poppins Pre-School is run by Poppins Nursery Committee (Ofsted register).
Latest inspection
- Overall: Good
- Personal development: Good
- Quality of education: Good
- Behaviour and attitudes: Good
- Leadership and management: Good
- Safeguarding is effective
Source: Ofsted, inspection on 27 January 2023, report published 1 March 2023. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What is it like to attend this early years setting?
Staff are nurturing and provide a warm and welcoming environment for children. This means that children are happy on arrival and eager to play. Children start their day with a group activity. They stretch all their muscles to settle and prepare for the day ahead. The flexible environment is carefully organised to meet the interests of every child. For example, when children talk about sea-life animals, staff swiftly change the environment. They set up activities to ensure that children can explore and learn about what they have discussed. Children have opportunities to explore sensory resources. They make 'rainbow lollies' from sparkly play dough and birthday cakes using slime. Children's behaviour is good and they talk about the friends that they have in the pre-school.
The dedicated and passionate staff ensure that all children make good progress against their starting points. They achieve this by successfully creating secure attachments with children using a key-person approach. Daily planning is then tailored to children's needs. High ratios of staff to children ensure that those who require more support receive plenty of help. For example, children who need it receive targeted intervention, one-to-one support and close attention during small-group work. This helps to develop children's social skills and prepares them for the next stage in their learning.
What the setting must and should do next
The provider should:
- develop the way in which staff ask questions to help broaden children's thinking skills, recollection of knowledge and the development of their vocabulary
- increase opportunities for children to learn about cultural diversity in their community and the wider world.
Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 27 January 2023 (report published 1 March 2023). Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Inspection history
Ofsted grades before November 2025 (England)
Inspections before November 2025 gave one overall grade on a four-point scale: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement, Inadequate. Ofsted also graded the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, and said whether safeguarding was effective.
Settings keep their last grade until Ofsted visits again, so many nurseries still show a grade from this older scale.
Source: Ofsted reports
Funded childcare hours in England
All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.
Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.
Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.
The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.
Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)
Other nurseries nearby
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Gillingham Brompton - Day nursery, Gillingham ME7 5AX, ages 0 to 4, 92 places, 0.3 milesOfsted, 7 September 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Chatham - Day nursery, Chatham ME4 4AF, ages 0 to 4, 79 places, 0.5 milesOfsted, 7 July 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
- Play A Way Day Care Centre - Day nursery, Gillingham ME7 5HZ, ages 1 to 4, 35 places, 0.5 milesOfsted report card, 9 September 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Happi Feet Nursery - Pre-school, Gillingham ME7 5TJ, 31 places, 0.5 miles
- St Mark's Preschool - Pre-school, Gillingham ME7 5JA, ages 2 to 3, 34 places, 0.6 milesOfsted, 9 December 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Schools nearby
- Brompton-Westbrook Primary School - Primary, 0.3 miles
- MidKent College - Post-16, 0.4 miles
- Oasis Academy Skinner Street - Primary, 0.5 miles
- Brompton Academy - Secondary, 0.5 miles
- Burnt Oak Primary School - Primary, 0.7 miles