The Oaks Nursery

Parkwood Road, Canterbury CT2 7FL
Review Us
8.0 2 Reviews
  • The Oaks Nursery, Canterbury
Oaks Nursery is based on the University of Kent campus, caring for up to 90 children a day. The nursery support children of university staff, students, and the wider community.

At the last Ofsted inspection (October 2022), Oaks was rated ‘Good’. The nursery team are very proud to have received so many positive comments - particularly referring to partnerships with parents, and staff/child interactions.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum is a statutory document outlining the welfare requirements and learning and development experiences for all children under five, against which all registered settings are inspected. Your child’s key person will use this documentation to record, plan and assess your child’s learning and development whilst in the nursery. The nursery use ‘sing & sign’ throughout the nursery and have DVDs to loan parents and carers to learn and practice at home.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care

Owner

  • Kent Union Trading Ltd
  • Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned

Person in Charge

  • Heidi Firth (Manager)

Admission Information

  • Priority to university staff and students, open to local community when spaces allow.

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 30

Registered Charity Number

  • 1138210

Total Places for Children

  • 90

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • 0800- 1300 = £42
    1300 - 1800 = £42
    0800 - 1800 = £79
    Hot nursery lunch = £3 per day

  • Funding pattern - stretched funding over 48 weeks of the year
    24 hours funding per week
    1000 - 1300 = £0
    1300 - 1600 = £0


    Optional Wraparoundcare
    0800 - 1000 = £18
    0900 - 1000 = £10
    1600 - 1800 = £18
    1600 - 1700 = £10

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Parking

  • The nursery is located adjacent to a University car park, which is free for parents dropping off and picking up. Staff will need to apply for a parking permit from the University.

The Oaks Nursery Reviews (2)

8.0

The Oaks Nursery has a Review Score of 8.0 (8.019) out of 10, based on 2 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Oaks Nursery has 2 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 2
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to The Oaks Nursery
  • 2
Total of 2, showing 1-2
Review from Saghi B (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Oaks is a truly outstanding nursery. From the very start it was clear how much they care about the children and their families, paying close attention to each child's personality, needs and preferences. The management team is organised, approachable and genuinely invested in creating a warm, supportive
environment, and they know every parent and child by name. The teachers are wonderful with the children and bring real patience, enthusiasm and understanding of child development. My child is thriving here, growing in confidence and learning so much every day, which gives me real peace of mind. They're also open to constructive feedback, which shows how committed they are to continually improving. I'm genuinely grateful to have found such a safe, caring and nurturing place for my child.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Review from M A (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All three of my children attend or have attended The Oaks, and it has been the perfect nursery for our family. The warm, welcoming atmosphere was clear from my first visit. Staff are dedicated, knowledgeable, and genuinely care for the children, with low turnover and strong, trusting relationships.
They tailor learning where possible, and the focused activities in the baby room were especially valuable for early development. The nursery feels very safe, and I love that children explore outdoors in all weathers and enjoy plenty of messy, creative play. The management team is responsive, and as a mum of children with health needs, I've been impressed with the staff's training, attentiveness, and reassurance. Even when my child was at school, I was very fortunate to be able to ask my child's former key person for advice during the transition! I highly recommend The Oaks Nursery.
  • Facilities / Outside Space
  • Learning
  • Resources / Equipment / ICT
  • Care
  • Activities
  • Staff
  • Food / Nutrition
  • Management
  • Cleanliness
  • Safeguarding
  • Value for Money
Current Review Score: 8.0 (8.019)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.0 (8.019) out of 10 for The Oaks Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 2 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.2 out of 5 from 2 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:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.783 for The Oaks Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (19 Excellents x 5) + (3 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 23 Ratings = 4.783
  2. 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 3.236 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Oaks Nursery is based on 2 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 = 3.125
    2. 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 90 number of registered child places is 18. 2 Positive Reviews ÷ 18 = 0.111
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

No Child Vacancies

Posted: 20 Nov 2025

We have a waiting list of at least 15 months

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Awards / Recognitions (0)

Meet the Team (2)

No image found

Heidi Firth

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2002

Early Years degree and EYPS

No image found

Liana Olsen

Job Title: Assistant Manager Joined: 2013

Early Years Qualification

Frequently Asked Questions about The Oaks Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that The Oaks Nursery accepts?

The Oaks Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is The Oaks Nursery Open?

The Oaks Nursery is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does The Oaks Nursery have capacity for?

The Oaks Nursery has capacity for a total of 90 Children.

How far is The Oaks Nursery to the centre of Canterbury?

1.4 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

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