Pennies Day Nursery - Hockers Lane, Maidstone

Pennies is a lovely nursery with a more homely feel. The staff are always friendly and appear to genuinely care about my son, including what he's up to outside of nursery and any ways in which they can help with his development. Above all, my son enjoys going here so it makes me feel happier about leaving him at the nursery.

The nursery provides a clean, engaging, kind and interactive learning environment for my daughter. The staff are always interested in the children and interact with them accordingly. The food and menus are nutritious, well thought out and offered to each age range in an appropriate way.
The facilities are clean, interesting and safe. They organise engaging trips and learn about the world around them and each other.
My daughter is always happy to go to nursery and enjoys the range of activities that they offer and friends she has made there.

We were very nervous about our little boy starting full time at the nursery, but the manager and her team helped us take the small steps needed to make the transition and ensure he has settled in very well indeed.
The mark of success is that he loves going to nursery, is well cared for and we feel confident that he is developing well.

I was extremely anxious leaving my daughter at nursery so that I could go back to work but Pennies made it so much easier. They provide exceptional care of the children. My daughter loves going and always chats happily about what she has done during the day.
The staff are very friendly and always have time to talk to you and answer any questions or concerns.

Fantastic nursery, so happy that we have been able to let our son go there and have a place booked for our youngest son for when I finish maternity leave.

Our son loves the extensive outdoor area where he can play with friends. The staff tailor activities to your individual child taking into account their interests and observations on the online tapestry system allow you to see what they have been enjoying there. Staff are always very friendly and show great care for our child.

We feel very happy that our son is so happy there although it can be a little upsetting that he is much more excited by a day at nursery than a day at home with us!

Pennies at Hocker Lane is a home away from home for my son. The layout feels homely and the rooms are not too big or overwhelming for the children. One of the deciding factors for me was the garden at Hocker Lane, it is big and full of areas for children to explore. As much as contact books are good, at Pennies they have the online sharing system where key workers upload photos, updates and progress scoring to keep parents informed of what the children have been up to. It is almost exciting to get an email and then be able to see the children half way through the day.
All the staff take the time to meet parents and are always very approachable.
The food at Pennies is not only varied and but children are always encouraged to try different food either at meal times or snack times. There has even been trips to the supermarket for the toddlers to choose their own food!

Staff at Pennies Hockers Lane are all very friendly and happy, they all address my son by name at the entrance, even if they work in a different room to him. Therefore providing an intimate and secure environment. I feel my son is very settled and although may resist going occasionally once there he is familiar and happy. The outdoor facilities are extremely good and the emphasis on outdoor play is great.
Communication is good from most individuals but can be vague on occasion. We have little contact with his key worker, however, the resident staff member in his room is a great substitute. I would like to be more aware of the food menu since he moved to mini Pre school.

This is now the third time we have chosen Pennies over other settings as our nursery care for our children while they are little. Leaving our children with them while we go to work is made easy knowing that they are having such a great time! Pennies continue to deliver the outstanding care and personalised learning experience for our children that we've always hoped for. I have absolute confidence all the staff there and it is extremely well managed.

Fantastic nursery. My daughter loves it and has developed tremendously. Staff provide a mix of activities and commicate effectively with parents. Any concerns or comments are listened to and delt with. I'm at 100% confident that she is cared for at all times. This nursery is expensive but worth every penny.

We have been delighted with Pennies. Our daughter was at the nursery for four years and was so happy there. Our son has been at Pennies since he was about nine months old and he is now 2 and a half.
He has also been very happy there. The staff are exceptional - so caring and the small groups make the nursery so personal, the staff get to know the children so well and understand and respond to their needs. We are very happy leaving our children at Pennies.

The best place I could think of for my daughter to grow and meet new friends. Everyone is so caring and I know my daughter is getting a great start in life. A massive thanks to everyone at Pennies Hockers Lane.

A good indication of your child's happiness is when you pick them up at the end of the day and they would rather stay and play with the nursery staff and their friends! The staff are always happy, engaging and care about the children. This is my second child at Pennies, so my review and assessment is not a snapshot in time, but over a sustained period of years.

Pennies Day Nurseries are excellent, my children have both really enjoyed their time there and have always wanted to go. We can see how beneficial their day care has been in our children's learning and development

We've been parents of children at the nursery for 3 years now and would absolutely recommend the Pennies Hockers Lane. My eldest is in the pre-school room and knows all the names of children in almost every room...this tells you about the size, and community/family feel of the place.
The staff are bright, friendly, caring and professional. It's thanks to doing 2 days a week at Pennies that my eldest potty trained early on, and he has also been taught various techniques to help him get dressed/undressed himself that I would never have thought of.
Both boys were spoon feeding themselves at nursery well before I even considered that they could do it at home. Their needs are met there and more than that, they are challenged and happy.

I have had my sons in Pennies for over 3 years now and throughout that time they have been fantastic.
There was an obvious step up from the previous nursery they were in. Things such as the magician, meeting a policeman and all the play dates and parties are great experiences for the kids.
The customer service is exemplary, an example is when my youngest qualified for 15 free hours, the team were happy to walk through the complex payments system and accommodated a change in hours.
Finally, and most importantly the staff at the nursery are outstanding. My eldest who is at school now still talks about his key person and jumps at the chance to visit her.
If I had one criticism it would be the parking arrangements.

Pennies is a great nursery. They have such good facilities for the children and a wonderful outside area. The activities they do with the children are brilliant, lots of variety. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I would not hesitate to recommend Pennies.

My little girl has been in the care of the team at Pennies for almost 6 months. In that time she has become confident, happy, very social and I am sure that this is a direct result of her time here.
I am always confident that when I leave her there for the day that she is well looked after and any issues are reported to me straight away. The actual building feels very homelike and I like that. I know my daughter is going to love growing up at this nursery.

Our daughter loves every minute at nursery, she has become such a confident little girl, who we are extremely proud of!
We couldn't wish for friendlier staff and a warm and welcoming environment for her to grow and learn in!

My daughter started at Pennies in September and has loved every minute! The girls are all lovely and her key worker has been amazing with my daughter. I love seeing what they have been up to and the pictures that she brings home. Thank you to everyone who has helped my daughter settle into the busy bee room, She is now in the ladybird lodge where she is onto her next adventure!

A wonderful nursery, where I feel the staff genuinely care for my son. They offer brilliant activities to encourage learning and development with creativity and originality. My son loves it, and I feel confident leaving him there to go to work. All the staff know the children and communication with parents is brilliant. Thank you for being the wonderful people who care for my son when I'm not able to due to work commitments!

Pennies is a wonderful nursery. The staff are attentive and caring and you really get a sense that your child is treated as an individual. They constantly seek feedback and act on your suggestions.

Both of my children have enjoyed their time at Pennies and formed strong bonds with their carers.

I cannot praise Pennies highly enough. My daughter has cerebral palsy and I was very nervous about leaving her. But Pennies have been incredible and my daughter has blossomed since going there.
They provide a stimulating and fun environment and are actively involved in her development, from helping her to walk to learning Makaton. The staff always ensure that they are up to date on what she needs and even suggest things which might help us at home. She is so excited to go there and would honestly rather be at Pennies than at home now! I just wish that they had more places so that she could attend full-time.
I have also just started my 7month old there for one day a week and she loves it too! The staff have really taken the time to get to know what she likes to do, her routine and what makes her happy. I think that being at Pennies will help her to blossom in the same way as her sister.
Thank you to everyone for your hard work and dedication to what you do.

Absolutely love Pennies Nursery, Hockers Lane. All of the staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. The communication is fantastic and the tasks that they do are exciting. I feel like I'm dropping my daughter into a home from home. I particularly like the Tapestry Keep In Touch system where I get to see what my daughter is up to each day. I would thoroughly recommend this nursery to anyone on the lookout.

Pennies Day Nursery, Hockers Lane was absolutely amazing at helping us to feel happy about leaving our daughter (11 months, at the time) at nursery when I returned to work after maternity leave. We couldn't be happier with all the staff at the nursery and how much they have played such a key role in our daughter's development and happiness. She has already moved up to the Busy Bee room and she didn't even need any settling in time thanks to the ladies and her new key worker. Our daughter LOVES going to nursery and we would happily take her every day if we could!

Hockers Lane has been fantastic for our son, after a bad experience attending another nursery. The staff are always open to talk to, whether that be any concerns or anything positive. They are friendly, caring, empathetic and honest. Our son has blossomed in confidence since attending he has formed friendships with others in his group. He has been able to comply to structures and has enjoyed thoroughly the times when he has been on trips out and adventures with his friends in their lovely garden which offers a variety of different learning/play experiences for him from climbing frame to the sand pit, as well as building blocks and cars. Our son has been able to move through preschool age with very good support and he loves attending and feels very safe and part of the nursery, which as a parent is all you can ask for.

We are very pleased with the care and activities our twins are receiving at Pennies. We started nursery in August 2016 full time and they settled in very quickly which was quite a surprise as they did not spend any days without us before. This is down to the attention and love they receive from the staff. During the past 6 months, they've developed significantly and now we can even see the different areas that they are interested in. E.g baking, reading stories, painting. We looked at other nurseries as well and none of them could match Pennies' standard. Would definitely recommend Pennies to everyone. If you want to be relaxed at work knowing that your child is not just in a place but in a nursery where he/she will be going home with a smile every day, then check out Pennies nursery at Hockers Lane.

I have both my children at pennies, my son has just started at age 1 and my daughter started 3 years ago she is now almost 4.
The service has been excellent, consistent, personal and inspiring from the start.
My daughter loves being there and has developed knowledge and positive practices, such as hygiene, healthy eating, exercise, recycling and interest in letters and numbers.
She has also developed social skills to do with friendships, compassion for others and respect for difference, especially through an interest in different countries and cultures.
My son has settled in well and quickly and has been treated so gently and kindly. It's a very unique place interested in the holistic well-being of children with lots of love to accompany education.

I have sent all 3 of my children to Pennies Nursery and they have all been so happy and absolutely loved going there!

They learn a lot of through play, as the staff are extremely good with them and take the time to really engage with the children. I always recommend the nursery to people as I have been so satisfied with it.

Very friendly and welcoming nursery.
Staff are very friendly and get to know everyone individually.
The staff teach my daughter life long skills and she has progressed so much since she has been there. Will recommend to everyone.

My two children go to Pennies Nursery and they both love it, I wouldn't send them anywhere else. When I come to pick up them they get upset to be leaving. The staff really care for the children here and I feel happy to leave the children

I looked around a lot of nurseries before placing my children at Pennies. When visiting I knew this was where I wanted my children to go, not only is it an old house, but the feeling you get when you visit is like they are a family, very warm welcome. Leaving your children at a nursery, I think, is one of the hardest things to do after having them 24/7, however, this was an easy transition.
It's not that my children like to see the back of me, but when they open their arms to the nursery ladies I feel very reassured that they enjoy the environment. On an educational basis, classes are set on age and ability, so learning takes place at the correct level. Lots of activities to do inside, and the garden is lovely too. I don't have any second thoughts about choosing this nursery.

We looked around a lot of nurseries before settling on Pennies - and I have been extremely happy with our choice ever since.

The nursery is clean and with good equipment and facilities. The staff could not be more friendly and helpful, and I love the Tapestry system because it allows us to be more involved and get an insight during the nursery day.

I feel like my child is in excellent hands and has made good progress since starting, and if I have another child I would certainly not hesitate to send them there as well.

Amazing nursery. Staff always have time to talk to parents. Staff are lovely and clearly love caring for our children. You cannot ask for any more from their service.

The Tapestry system has been so helpful. As a first time parent, being able to see what my son has been up to via pictures and videos has been reassuring and an amazing help to me whilst settling into work.

I am so pleased with this nursery. We love it and so does my little boy. The staff are so happy and cheery, morning and night even when collecting my child at 5.30! It's always clean and tidy too. We love it here.

Have sent both our children here so had a connection for 7 years now (this will be our last). Both of our children loved it, as have those of some of our friends whose children also attend. In fact, I haven't heard any complaints. The fees are quite high, but they children get well fed and nappies for the babies so I guess you get what you pay for and the hours they are open are long enough that there is not normally a rush home from work to collect the children.

The staff are brilliant. They work with you to understand the individual needs of the children and work to help them develop in a way which suits their personality and interests. The staff are qualified, friendly, committed, professional and diligent, and I have no reservations to recommend the nursery to anyone.

Pennies has been brilliant for our little girl. The staff are so good at meeting her individual needs and tackling transitions sensitively and at the correct pace. We feel it has done her the world of good and we will definitely be increasing her days when she is 3 as she enjoys it so much! The staff also use Tapestry to help us know what she is up to which is always lovely, especially when she hasn't settled on leaving her some days. I have already recommended Pennies Hockers Lane to friends and will continue to do so!

Both my sons currently attend Pennies at Hockers lane. They both love going and I feel they are extremely well cared for. All the facilities and staff are outstanding. I would recommend to anyone looking for a nursery

The staff are friendly and welcoming, and they communicate very well with parents. The food is healthy and seems well received by my daughter. They are out in the garden in the fresh air as much as possible and are always having great fun on the toys or exploring. They learn through play and encouraged in everything they do. Would recommend to anyone that wants a happy child when you pick them up.

An exciting place for your child to play and learn. Excellent staff who are caring and accommodating. Great resources and fun activities that are organised and varied. I feel relaxed leaving my child here.

Our daughter (2.5 years) has been in Pennies nursery for almost a year now. At the beginning our daughter was happy to be at the nursery. However, after a couple of staff changes (due to maternity leaves), she became a little unsettled as her most trusted carer had suddenly left. We raised this problem with Pennies and we were amazed at how quickly our issue was addressed. Within a couple of weeks the nursery had made significant changes within my daughter's group and our daughter was even happier than before.

The nursery has helped our daughter gain confidence in key abilities required at this age. All her activities are carefully documented and can be reviewed online (including a history of photos, which is nice as we don't get to see what she is up to at Nursery). All carers have good qualifications and there appears to be a passion for helping kids develop. Pennies practices a good balance between fun activities and daily 'chores', which is exactly what we were looking for.

The facilities are also very nice with a reasonably large play area.

We highly recommend Pennies to anyone looking to send their toddler to Nursery on a full-time or part-time basis.

My 3 year old boy loves everything about Pennies! He loves his teachers and his new friends. He was very comfortable in the new environment when he first joined and has felt the same ever since! He is happy with the activities and toys and he adores the cooking class. They spent plenty of time outdoors enjoying the weather no matter what. The food is of great quality and there is communication between the parents and the nursery. I as a mother would recommend Pennies to friends and family.

I had moved my daughter from a previous nursery where there had been a lot of issues and my child was very unhappy there. Within her first week of being at Pennies she had settled in great! And has never been upset upon me leaving her once since!
All of the staff are fantastic and I have every confidence that they look after my child to the very best standards.

Our 1 year old son has been at Hockers Lane for a full day once a week for a few months and he has settled in nicely. The surroundings are ideal and not too overwhelming for both child and parents. We have seen our little boy develop such a lot since he has attended the Butterflies Room and he has gained confidence and skills which I believe have been helped by his time there.

There is no hassle in dropping him off and picking him (yes parking can be an issue, but we have only ever waited a couple of mins to get in and out). I love that we can just drop him off with his bag and coat and know that he is in safe hands and all of his needs are catered for. Also no need to pack food and nappies, which make life easy for working parents!

Speaking with my friends too, Pennies are one of the only nurseries to offer trips included in the price. We love getting updates on how he is getting on and meeting his development milestones via their online journal. It makes you feel you are still part of your child's life whilst out working.

The team at the nursery are all very friendly and their strict security ensures your child's safety is paramount. I would recommend this nursery to anyone looking for childcare in the Kent area.