RAFA Kidz Cranwell

87 & 86C Wellesley Way, RAF Cranwell, Sleaford NG34 8HB
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9.9 43 Reviews
  • RAFA Kidz Cranwell, Sleaford
RAFA Kidz is based at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. The facility was funded by the RAF Benevolent Fund and was purpose-built in 2005.

They provide affordable quality childcare and education in a safe and happy 'home from home' environment for children aged 6 months to 14 years. As well as providing care and education for early years they offer before and after school wrap around care for children who attend Cranwell Primary School and provide a holiday club during school holidays for all children.

The children have plenty of fun in a structured but nurturing environment leaving you relaxed and confident that your child is safe in their care. They provide the highest quality play education in a warm and caring environment within which all children can learn and develop as they play. Their gardens include a forest school, sensory areas, willow domes, pavilions and a friendship garden was added in 2018. They are keen on outdoor learning and go outdoors in all weathers.

RAFA Kidz Cranwell places a great emphasis on working in partnership with parents. Their highly trained staff are all qualified first aiders and continuous professional development is encouraged for all staff to keep up to date with new initiatives within the early years sector. The children are provided with nutritious meals freshly prepared on the premises by the kitchen team. They cater for dietary needs and work closely with parents to ensure that children are safely catered for.

Children progress through four rooms within the nursery according to age and the capacity of each room. Throughout their time at RAFA Kidz the children will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, a curriculum to ensure children reach their full potential across all areas of development. RAFA Kidz uses Famly to monitor and record each child's development.

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Care Provided by RAFA Kidz Cranwell

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Katie Parkin (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 40
  • Registered Charity Number
  • 1154822
  • Total Places for Children
  • 112
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 6 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-17:45
    Tuesday 07:30-17:45
    Wednesday 07:30-17:45
    Thursday 07:30-17:45
    Friday 07:30-17:45
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & 2 weeks at Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for RAFA Kidz Cranwell

  • £54.50 for a full day for a child under 5 years

  • Available on request


    Please contact the nursery for further information
  • Parking

  • There is plenty of parking at this nursery setting.


RAFA Kidz Cranwell Reviews (43)

Total of 43, showing 21-40
9.9

RAFA Kidz Cranwell has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.909) out of 10, based on 24 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time RAFA Kidz Cranwell has 43 reviews.

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Review from Kayley M (Mother of Child) published on 30 October 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My youngest son started at Rafa Kidz a few months back and his confidence and speech has improved a considerable amount! He absolutely loves coming to nursery and I love seeing everything he has got up to on the app! My oldest attends the morning and after school club and once again he loves going to
it and will sometimes even choose to go even if he doesn’t need to!

Reply from Katie Parkin, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

It is so lovely to hear about the progress the children make and I just love that your older child wants to come in even if they don't have too! Thank you for taking the time to leave us this wonderful review.


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Review from Lorna B (Mother of Child) published on 30 October 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

As a parent who has experienced services from a range of nurseries, schools and, before and after school clubs I am simply spoiled with this facility. They excel but are humble enough to know that each day is a learning experience and are completely prepared for all eventualities. They have great staff
who are caring, trained, happy and know how to talk to parents but most of all they know the children in the room and adapt themselves to get the best out of each and every one of them.
They provide great food and resources for play and learning. They have even spent money refurbishing the outdoor play area to give the kids the best experience of playing outside which they do in all seasons!
A great, no, an amazing, establishment and Rafakidz should be proud to say this is theirs.

Reply from Katie Parkin, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you so much, we are very proud of our nursery and have so much passion for all we do.


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Review from L D (Grandmother of Child) published on 24 October 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Two of my grandchildren have attended, a wonderful experience for them and they now attend the before and after school clubs too. The staff are skilled, patient and kind, the facilities are first class.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the differences today, compared to nursery schools in the 80s
and 90s!
Keep up the good work everyone.
More recent outdoor upgrades are amazing.
The parents are well-informed on targets and progress.

Reply from Katie Parkin, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you so much for taking the time to give us such a lovely review. We agree the outside work has greatly enhanced our play area, so thank you.


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Review from E T (Mother of Child) published on 12 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has had a fantastic experience at RAFA Kidz. They have supported his learning and development whilst always providing a fun environment. It has set him up brilliantly for starting school. I would recommend the nursery.

Reply from Katie Parkin, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for your response. It's lovely to hear you have had a fantastic experience with us.


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Review from Suzi W (Mother of Child) published on 14 April 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my children age one and four absolutely love attending RAFA Kidzone Cranwell and have completely thrived under their care. Despite an erratic start to nursery, due to Covid-19 lockdown, my daughter settled in immediately thanks to the care and attention from the staff to make her feel at ease.
Her development since starting nursery is incredible and testament to the great range of activities provided to the children at all ages. We were also worried that my son would struggle with a move from a previous nursery but he has loved his time at RAFA Kidzone Cranwell and now enjoys attending breakfast club and holiday club. We, as parents really enjoy the app updates and seeing what the kids have been up to and we are always jealous to hear the wide range of food they are provided in the day! Overall an excellent childcare setting which we feel very lucky our children attend.

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Review from Luke K (Father of Child) published on 13 April 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been going here since he was seven months old and is now sixteen months. He loves it. The staff are amazing, they catered for my sons dietary requirements and now he is really thriving in RAFA Kidzone Cranwell.

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Review from Joshua P (Father of Child) published on 12 April 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has had a wonderful time here and it has improved his behavioural skills no end. He now loves socialising with other kids, loves telling us about his day, who he has been playing with and what they have been doing. We were particularly careful in our choice of nursery as our son is diagnosed
with ASD, so the setting he needs to be in really has to be the best, safest and with the most competent staff. Luckily we found it here with RAFA Kidzone Cranwell.

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Review from Niamh W (Mother of Child) published on 12 April 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My one year old son recently started here on a part time basis. I was extremely anxious as he had only been at home during the lockdown but the staff reassured me and helped my son settle in quickly. They're as supportive of the parents as they are of the children and its lovely to see my son grow in
confidence in a safe and supportive environment.

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Review from Stu A (Father of Child) published on 10 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic nursery with fantastic, professional and engaging staff. My son absolutely loves attending and has learnt so much in his time there. He is constantly engaged with games and activities that I wouldn't necessarily have the time or resources to do from home, he leaves everyday telling me what
a great day he has had.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for such a lovely review. It is a pleasure to have him here at RAFA Kidzone. He is always such a smiley boy!


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Review from Esther P (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We moved to the area early this year and I was anxious about my son (then aged 3) starting a new nursery as he was so happy at his last one. I needn't have been so worried, RAFA Kidzone Cranwell have been amazing. My son absolutely loves it at this nursery. I've noticed a huge improvement with my son's
learning, the staff were amazing helping me get my son out of nappies too. They are always updating on me on my sons day at nursery with not just telling me what he's eaten but activities they have done, things he has done well, highlighting when he's been helpful, etc. I'm really pleased with the communication we have. During lockdown, it was a very difficult time (I'm sure for everyone) I found the nursey to be very helpful. Me and my partner are key workers and couldn't thank the nursery enough for their dedication and support.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for such a lovely review, it is a pleasure to have him at RAFA Kidzone!


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Review from John C (Father of Child) published on 9 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would highly recommend Kidzone to anyone. My child has been there for just under a year now and has come on leaps and bounds. The staff have always been very engaging and encouraging. The communication is excellent and any potential issues have been raised in a caring way. They have been fantastic
with regards to supporting our child through potty training and have gone above and beyond to ensure our child continues the progress made at home in the nursery setting. They have also been fantastic at supporting us with our child’s allergies and have come up with some fantastic alternatives when necessary.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for such a lovely review. It is a pleasure to have him here at RAFA Kidzone.


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Review from Clare A (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is an amazing nursery. After my son tried two different nurseries prior to RAFA Kidzone, he settled in immediately here. The staff are incredible. He has made lots of friends and he is so happy.
The nursery ticks all the boxes for me in the fact he has access to an amazing outdoor space, he is
well looked after by the staff, he is happy there, he has made lots of friends and he is learning so much.
After visiting many settings I would say this is one of the best. Highly recommend a visit. Even during these times, I feel the nursery have followed safe measures while children can still have the ability to enjoy their early years of education.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you so much for the lovely review! It is a pleasure to have him at RAFA Kidzone.


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Review from Leah M (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Our daughter started full-time childcare here in March 2020 and thoroughly enjoys it, she has a smile on her face at drop off and collection. The activities provided and the environment is very positive and we've seen our little one develop so much over the year which is due to the learning taking place
at Kidzone. I'd fully recommend this nursery, as a parent, it's very reassuring knowing your little one is happy day to day, whilst you're at work.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for such a lovely review, it is a pleasure to have her at our nursery!


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Review from Elizabeth O (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A fantastic nursery that we highly recommend! Our daughter started nursery for the very first time in September 2020 and we are delighted with her development so far. She has settled in well, made friends and has good relationships with the staff.
We find that the staff are extremely professional while
also being very kind and caring. They provide a safe, fun and stimulating environment in which our daughter is very happy and they have responded excellently to the current 'COVID' situation.
They place the well-being of the children at the centre of everything that they do. We feel our daughter is sufficiently challenged whilst learning key life skills to ensure she is well equipped for school.
The nursery also provides a healthy and delicious menu which is very much appreciated and enjoyed.
The online learning journal enables us to securely view our daughter's progress and successfully communicate with the staff to build on her learning.
Thank you very much!

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you so much for the lovely review. It is a pleasure to have her at RAFA Kidzone.


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Review from Katherine F (Mother of Child) published on 3 July 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a fabulous nursery! I have a child aged 4 and another aged 1 who attend at RAFA Kidzone. My eldest has been there for nearly 2 years now. This is a wonderful nursery where both my children have grown in confidence and have developed tremendously with all the love, care and support the staff
provide. I couldn’t be happier with the standard of care and the boys are learning something new every day. The food is varied, homemade and healthy, the activities are varied and educational, and there is plenty of outdoor play in the fantastic outdoor space and facilities. The nursery uses an app and I enjoy receiving daily updates - the communication is fantastic and the staff are always happy to help in any way they can.
The nursery has responded really well to the challenging environment of ‘COVID’ with extra precautions in place to make it safe for everyone but to make sure the children are not affected and continue to play, learn and thrive.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for such a lovely review! It is a pleasure to have them both here at RAFA Kidzone.


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Review from Emily (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A fantastic day nursery that I highly recommend. A safe and friendly environment where my kids love to learn, play and explore the fantastic outdoor forest area. Provide varied, healthy meals and educational structure. My kids have definitely benefited from being at RAFA Kidzone! Toilet training, understanding
their emotions and speaking in full sentences to name just a few things that they have helped support. Most of all, they love going.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for your lovely review. It is a pleasure to have them both at RAFA Kidzone!


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Review from Toni R (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Would 100% recommend this nursery to everyone. The staff are all professional, caring and kind. The outdoor space is amazing! There’s so much for children to do and explore in a safe environment. There’s an excellent menu with a huge array of freshly cooked Nutritional meals. My kids love it here and
I know my children are well looked after by the incredible staff here.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you for your lovely review. It is a pleasure to have them both attend RAFA Kidzone!


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Review from Helen M (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My children have been attending RAFA Kidzone since they were 8 months old. The care they have received has been nothing short of exemplary. The staff are very supportive and caring and they have built up excellent bonds with my children. Because of this, they feel safe and secure and love to run into
nursery in the mornings!! The facilities are outstanding (especially the incredible outdoor area!) and every day is full of varied activities to help them grow and develop in many ways.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you very much for your lovely review! It is a pleasure to have them both attend RAFA Kidzone and watch them develop and grow!


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Review from Rachel S (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 2 and a half-year-old daughter has attended RAFA Kidzone from the age of 11 months. The care she receives from her key worker right through to the support of the catering team and administration team is outstanding. I could not want for more. The nursery follows EYFS and has a fantastic system called
Tapestry so parents can see videos and photos of their children. The facilities at Kidzone are brilliant. An amazing outdoor area, tremendous interactive activities and a fantastic menu. I truly believe the team at Kidzone have impacted positively on my daughter's development and she truly loves attending.
I would also like to mention at such a time of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery has been exceptional with communication to parents, supporting parents and children and putting systems in place to adhere to the measures, whilst keeping the children, parents and the RAFA Kidzone team safe. Thank you.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you so much for your lovely review. It is a pleasure to watch her grow and develop here at RAFA Kidzone!


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Review from Victoria R (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I was very concerned about sending my baby to nursery but RAFA Kidz team really helped me with that worry, they keep me updated with everything my son does and I never feel like an over-anxious mother when I ring to see how he’s doing ( I do that a lot!). The meals plans are excellent, which has led
to my boy eating anything and everything! My son loves the nursery, he has come on so much ahead of his friends who attend other nurseries, the close-knit team here have given him encouragement and care beyond what I expected.

Reply from Sonia Church, Nursery Manager at RAFA Kidz Cranwell

Thank you very much for your lovely review! We love having him here at RAFA Kidzone!


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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.909)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.909) out of 10 for RAFA Kidz Cranwell is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 24 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 24 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 4.909 for RAFA Kidz Cranwell is calculated as follows: ( (263 Excellents x 5) + (22 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 287 Ratings = 4.909

  • 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 RAFA Kidz Cranwell is based on 24 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 112 number of registered child places is 22.4, which has been reached with 24 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 (3)

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Meet the Team (1)

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Katie Parkin

Job Title: Manager

Joined: 2021

Katie has worked for RAFA Kidz since 2021 and worked in Early Years for over 30 years and has a wealth of experience.


Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact RAFA Kidz Cranwell to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. RAFA Kidz Cranwell has an Enhanced Service – more info.