Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone

Newnham Court Shopping Village, Bearsted Road, Maidstone ME14 5LH
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9.8 162 Reviews
  • Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone, Maidstone
The company is named after its founder – Penny Scotton – and continues to adhere to her vision of offering; ‘the very best in childcare, learning and fun’

Purpose-built to their own specification and opened in 2005 between Maidstone and Bearsted this site hosts nursery services and a home for Breakfast, After School and Holiday clubs. Air-conditioned and equipped with under-floor heating and two fully fitted kitchens; parents describe Newnham Court as ‘welcoming.’ It is bright and lively with extensive gardens and outdoor play facilities. Newnham Court was graded as good by Ofsted (March 2022).

Fully air-conditioned and equipped throughout with underfloor heating and two fully fitted kitchens, parents describe Newnham Court as 'welcoming'. It is bright, colourful and echoing with the happy sound of children. Developments in Pennies’ provision have gone hand-in-hand with the ethos of the ‘Pennies Family’ within which all children and parents feel involved and have the chance to discuss and shape the care provided

The main features of Newnham Court include

•        Catering for children from three months to five-years-old
•        Separate rooms, arranged by age for nursery age children
•        Separate term time only pre-school room
•        Extensive garden with grassed areas, large sandpit, play equipment and sheltered areas which support all areas of a child's development
•        Meals prepared daily by a trained chef and made with fresh ingredients sourced from local suppliers
•        Annual social calendar of events for children and parents
•        Popular Kids club catering for children from four to eleven years of age
•        There is a large, secluded garden area with a number of designated areas including a story-telling mound and adventure playground

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Care Provided by Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Claire Williams and Jo Cass (Nursery Managers)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 75
  • Total Places for Children
  • 131
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone

  • Per day:
    0-2 yrs £114.25
    2-3 yrs £112.25
    3+ yrs £111.25

Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone Reviews (162)

Total of 162, showing 121-140
9.8

Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.786) out of 10, based on 29 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone has 162 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 151
  • 10
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Review from Claire (Mother of Child) published on 20 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little one has been at Pennies from 12 months until starting school. I want to say a huge thank you to the whole team at Pennies for the amazing care, support and attention paid to my little one. They have given a rounded foundation and shown true care for each child and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending
Pennies to any parent looking for childcare.

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Review from Mark D (Father of Child) published on 1 August 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

A most professional, yet affable, group of staff (all female) who treat the children in a nurturing and personal manner. The building is secure and the reception inviting. My sons motor skills and reading has come along noticeably since attending. The staff are approachable and advisable. If I had to
criticise something (begrudgingly) I would say maybe they cuddle the children too much. Kids should be able to fall over without parents having to sign an acknowledgement ship - but then again, I'm old-fashioned and this is just a personal preference. You would have no qualms about leaving your child here all day, each week.

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Review from James H (Father of Child) published on 10 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent facilities and staff. Always helpful and attentive. Updates on a daily basis of general well being and ongoing reviews of progress are a great insight into my daughter's progress.

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Review from Keeley (Mother of Child) published on 10 April 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone for nearly two years and I am very pleased with the care she receives. Staff plan engaging and age-appropriate activities and provide good feedback on how my child enjoys these activities. Communication with the nursery is
excellent. Staff in the rooms, as well as management, take the time to answer questions from parents and management and identify next steps in my child’s development. The social skills the nursery encourage have had a positive impact on my child’s development and she looks forward to attending nursery. Leaving your child is always daunting at first but Pennies made this a smooth experience. Most importantly, my child feels safe at Pennies Day Nursery.

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Review from Louisa W (Mother of Child) published on 4 April 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I immediately liked this nursery and 14 months on I’m still happy. It’s bright, modern and welcoming and the staff have been so understanding.
The rooms are spacious and warm and the outdoor space is safe and fun. They do so many different activities during the day and the artwork we receive is lovely.
My daughter loves it there!

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Review from Gemma H (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my 3-year-old daughter and my 1-year-old son attend Pennies preschool and nursery and have always been extremely happy with the care they have provided. The staff at Pennies are always professional, knowledgeable and personable. I always have a full handover from the nursery which includes everything
my son has done, and what he has been eating, his general mood and interaction with others. My son is very clingy and the baby care team have been amazing in helping him to adjust to being in nursery. I can’t thank them enough.
The preschool is also outstanding and my daughter has grown far more independent since she has attended, they have given her confidence to dress herself (for PE), use the toilet on her own, speak in front of others on show and tell days etc. I cannot fault the preschool staff they are excellent.
Overall I would not hesitate to recommend Pennies to anyone who is looking for a nursery/preschool where children are able to thrive.

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Review from Hannah (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been going to Pennies since early 2013 when he was 10 months old and my daughter since early 2016. The first thing that impressed me was how the senior team knew all of the children by name, even though it is quite a big nursery, it was such a personal touch. The staff are very professional
and very friendly and they care for the children in partnership with parents. They vary the activities the children do, they have lots of messy play and creative things to do, as well as play outside and a computer the little ones can use. They always offer fruit and the meals are varied and healthy. They provide feedback at the end of the day so you're fully informed of their eating and sleeping. They also understand the individual child's needs, for example, my daughter still gets a bit upset when I drop her off and a member of staff who knows her will always give her a cuddle to help her settle.

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Review from C B (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter attended Pennies for many years and enjoyed her whole experience. The staff were always friendly and professional. My daughter also attended the after school and holiday club when she was older. She had a fantastic time and the trips they took the children on were fantastic! Highly recommend

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Review from Jodie H (Mother of Child) published on 2 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has attended Newnham Court from the age of six months and is soon approaching his second birthday, during this time my partner and I have been nothing other than impressed with the level of care he receives. He is always very happy to attend and very happy when we collect him in the evening.


We

are always given a detailed report of the activities he has done, the food he has eaten and the progress he makes at the end of each day. Staff and management go above and beyond and is clear they are very passionate about the care of the children, our son has a lovely bond with his key person. We couldn't ask for more.

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Review from Haylie (Mother of Child) published on 1 January 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter joined Pennies, Newnham Court, just before her first birthday. In a little over a month, she has settled really well which I don't doubt is due to the hard work and dedication of the team.


Her key workers and the wider team are genuinely caring and approachable, she loves going and is

always sad to leave.

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Review from Judda L (Father of Child) published on 27 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little one attends Breakfast, After school and Holiday clubs at Pennies Kids Club and she always enjoys her time at PKC.
Staffs at PKC are excellent and caring.
Facility and activity are excellent.

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Review from Paul D (Father of Child) published on 22 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Pennies Day Nursery Newnham Court is where we've chosen to send all three of our darlings over the last 4 to 5 years. Each starting aged 12 to 18 months for approx. 1 to 2 days per week.
Overall we are very happy with the staff, facilities and care and will continue to send our children until starting
school. We also found the after school pick-up and holiday club activities a great way for the children to spend some extra time with friends having fun after school and during half term/summer months. The friendships children make at Pennies with other children has endured both at school and after school clubs.
We've found the care to be excellent and wanted all three of ours to have the same opportunity, experience and believe all three have been given that even if for just 1 or 2 days per week.

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Review from Kirsty B (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started at Pennies in Jan 2017. Our tour of the nursery prior to him starting went above and beyond what we were expecting. We are very happy with his progress and the staff are welcoming and friendly.

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Review from D H (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little girl has been coming to Pennies from the age of 6 months. She will soon be 2 and she still gets excited when we pull up outside the doors in the morning. All the staff we have had dealings with have been excellent in taking the time to get to know her and It makes it easier as a parent to
leave knowing she is very content in her surroundings. Great attention is taken to relay information at the end of the day and I really like the tapestry online link which updates me on some of her daily activities from the week along with photos. Many thanks, Pennies.

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Review from Gemma B (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My second child is currently attending Pennies. He has just turned 3 and has been there since he was 10 months old. For both of my children (both very different in character) I have found Pennies as an excellent nursery. My children have been very happy there and has thrived working with the positive
and committed staff. The staff are always cheerful, helpful and reassuring and as a result, my children both settled quickly (despite only attending a day a week). The Tapestry updates are excellent and being able to receive photographs and videos of the children in the setting is wonderful and clearly show the progress made through the nursery planned and varied activities. I could not ask for more from a nursery.

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Review from Cristina G (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot talk highly of Pennie's staff and the facility. I am a first-time mum who had to return to work so leaving my 1-year-old in a nursery was a very hard and emotional process. The staff made the transition so easy for both myself and my daughter, making sure I am informed about how she is doing
during the day, taking pictures and videos and sharing them with me on their private portal but also offering my daughter the cuddles and comfort when she was upset and unsettled. I found them to be loving, caring and most of all nonjudgmental and supportive. My daughter is learning things I would not be able to teach and she is becoming more confident every single day she spends at Pennies. I am very pleased with her evolution and progress so far and I would not hesitate to recommend Pennies to other mums.

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Review from Liv (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Pennies for 3 years and we cannot recommend it highly enough. Fantastic facilities and leaning opportunities but most importantly the staff are fantastic and show such care and attention to all the children. The management are always approachable and accommodating too.

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Review from DB (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Pennies for 6 months starting when she was 10 months old. I am thrilled with her progress there, the staff are lovely and the facilities are fab. I really like the updates we get from Tapestry. It helps me to keep in touch with her time at nursery and it's wonderful to see what
she gets up to!

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Review from Paula S (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been going to Pennies since September 2016, she settled in extremely well and I now have trouble getting her to leave as she has made great friends and enjoys all activities especially the large outside area. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and are easy to approach. It really
is a great nursery.

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Review from alyx h (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2017
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I'm very happy with the care that my child is provided by the team at Pennies Nursery. My child always comes home and sleeps for a good couple of hours which to me is a good sign that he's had a lot of fun.

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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.786)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.786) out of 10 for Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 29 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 28 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.786 for Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone is calculated as follows: ( (305 Excellents x 5) + (27 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) + (9 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 346 Ratings = 4.786

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone is based on 28 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 131 number of registered child places is 26.2, which has been reached with 28 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (8)

Eco Schools 2024

Recipient: Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone

Date: Sunday 01 Sep 2024 More details

Wilder Kent Gold Award 2024

Recipient: Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone

Date: Sunday 01 Sep 2024 More details

Wilder Kent Gold Award 2023

Recipient: Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone

Date: Thursday 01 Jun 2023 More details

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Meet the Team (5)

Michaela

Michaela Stone

Job Title: Head of Operations

Joined: 2004

Hi, My Name is Michaela and I hold a CACHE Level 3 and Level 4 in Childcare and Management.


My journey in the Early Years started 25 Years ago; 20 of these years have been in a Management position. I have worked with all age groups from 3 months through to 11 years. I strongly believe in the best for every child, and that every child should be acknowledged as a unique individual and given the opportunity to flourish to their full potential.


I believe myself to be level-headed in all aspects of the business and operations, and I enjoy focusing on the development of my team, casting vision, and giving the team the education and tools they need to create a rich environment for the children to thrive within.


Claire

Claire Williams

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2004

Hi, my name is Claire and I have worked at Pennies since 2004. I hold a diploma in child studies and CACHE NVQ level 3 and 4 in children’s care, learning and development. I have thoroughly enjoyed my years at Pennies working my way up to a management position where I am able to help and support staff with their professional journey.


Over the years I have looked after children right from babies up to 11 years but I particularly enjoy the older children in our out-of-school club. My position as nursery manager is one I enjoy the challenge of. Being part of a child’s start in life is a rewarding career and I believe it is important that children can develop and flourish in a safe and secure environment.


Jo

Jo Cass

Job Title: Joint Nursery Manager

Joined: 2010

Hello, I’m Jo and I've been part of the Pennies team since 2010. I hold a level 3 NVQ certificate in Children’s Care, Learning and Development. I have enjoyed being part of the teams in different age groups around the nursery before taking on Senior and Head of Unit positions, leading onto Third in Charge and then to my current position of Deputy Manager. I enjoy being part of a vibrant Management team, working together to get the best outcomes for the nursery, our fantastic team of staff, and of course, the children we care for.


I take pride in knowing that families choose our Nursery to care for their children, where we can help them to thrive and give them the very best start in their early education. When I’m not at the nursery, I have two young sons who keep me busy. We enjoy park visits, picnics and chips at the beach.


Amy

Amy Mallett

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Joined: 2018

Hello, I’m Amy and I have been part of the Pennies team since 2018.


Claire

Claire Lucas

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Joined: 2024

Hello, I’m Claire and I have been part of the Pennies team since 2024. I have worked in childcare for 15+ years in a variety of roles with all ages of children.


Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Pennies Day Nursery - Newnham Court, Maidstone has a Platinum Service – more info.