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- Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school
they put all their heart into what they do and are extremely passionate about their rolesKemi A(Mother of Child)



they put all their heart into what they do and are extremely passionate about their rolesKemi A(Mother of Child)



Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-School is a full day care nursery situated in the Dockside Outlet Shopping Centre. The nursery has a unique, modern and fully secure rooftop garden looking out onto the picturesque Chatham Maritime Marina.
The nursery features five spacious and well equipped age-appropriate rooms ranging from babies to rising fives attended to by well qualified and experienced staff.
The Baby Room follows the home routines of younger babies,...
Funding & Fees
Please contact us to discuss the fees.
Contact Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school to get a personalised quote:
Type of Service
- Day Nursery
Opening Schedule
Open all yearFull days available
YesHalf day sessions offered
YesGroup/Owner
- Sea Shells Nursery (Dockside) Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Hayleigh Fry (Manager)
Admission Information
- Minimum of three half day sessions or two full day sessions
Number of Childcare Staff
- 35
Total Places for Children
- 109
Age Range
- from 0 years 3 months
- to 4 years 11 months
Meals Provided
NoConsumables provided
NoOpening 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
Parking
- Plenty of free parking for up to one hours at the Dockside Shopping Outlet car park
Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school Reviews (82)
Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.919) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school has 82 reviews.
Dockside has been amazing for my niece who joined in June 2025 following her transition of becoming a big sister. I do the drop offs and pick ups and cannot fault the staff team, management are great for answering any questions, reassuring any anxieties and being so welcoming! Great choice of nursery!
Thank you for your kind words , it's been lovely getting to know you & little one :)
Even during a tough transition period, the staff were incredibly supportive and helped him with patience. The daily app updates-covering meals, naps, and nappy changes-are invaluable for a working parent. They also made a genuine connection with my older daughter who comes to drop-off.
We are so sad to be leaving but highly recommend Dockside Nursery to anyone looking for a nurturing and loving environment.
Thank you for your kind words, it has been a pleasure having little one & for sure will miss him. Thank you for your continued support :)
Both of our daughters have attended, starting as early as 10 months old, and it has been such a positive experience for our family. From the very beginning, the staff have shown real dedication, not only in providing excellent care but also in listening to and meeting the individual needs of each child.
Thank you so much, we have loved having both girls at Dockside. Thank you for all your continued support :)
Best nursery around. Helpful staff. Understanding management. Loads of space for all the kids. Sad to be leaving.. Even tried my best to stay once moved house, but In the end had to leave reluctantly.
Send your child here. It's outstanding by ofsted for a reason. Won't beat it.
Thank you so much for your kind words- we will miss you guys. Wish you all the best :)
Whenever I have had minor complaints, they have been dealt with efficiently and effectively. I am beyond happy with the care daughter receives here.
Thankyou so much for your kind words, we love having little one here! Thank you for choosing Dockside :)
Both my children attended this nursery, my son has been here since he was 2 he's now 4 and going into school come September and my daughter was 3 when she started. This nursery has been absolutely amazing, the staff are so welcoming and very supportive with both you and your child, cant fault them at all i feel as if i have grown a bond with the nursery as a parent and i never felt that at my daughters first nursery which is nice because you want to be a part of their journey too
Thankyou so much for your kind words, we loved having little one here! Thank you for choosing Dockside :)
My twin girls have been attending here since they were 9months old and now are 2. They have come on so much since starting the nursery. One of my girls was very attached, shy and cried everytime at drop off, but all the staff in nursery room 1 worked with her and building her confidence and this has really shown what they have done as she runs off say bye and goes in with a smile which makes my day feel so much easier. My other little girl enjoys the nursery so much and names all the staff on her room on a daily basis which shows me just how much they mean to her, she is full of confidence and just loves going everyday. They are turning into such clever little girls with the help of all the lovely staff! Thank you to all the staff for helping my girls on their journey with you all
Thankyou so much for your kind words, we love having little one here! Thank you for choosing Dockside :)
Thank you staff at dockside nursery and pre school for everything.
Thankyou so much for your kind words, we loved having little one here! Thank you for choosing Dockside :)
My daughter has attended this nursery for just over 10 months, she began in baby room and is now in toddler room. We have nothing but praise for the nursery staff as they go above and beyond every single day.
Staff are always professional, friendly, thorough in handovers, communication is great and clearly love their jobs.
The nursery were also not fazed by the additional needs our daughter has, which was a breath of fresh air.
We also have meetings with the SENCo who regularly reviews careplans to ensure they reflect her needs and challenge her- again, the SENCo is thorough, friendly and pays attention to detail.
There are a wide range of activities the staff do throughout the day to challenge and motivate the children and it is lovely to be sent photos monthly, so I can see her having fun. There is also an app where staff and parents can communicate, which makes contact easy.
Overall, we are thrilled our daughter has a place at this nursery. Thank you for all your hard work
Thankyou so much for your kind words, we love having little one here! Thank you for choosing Dockside :)
Our daughter has been at Dockside Day Nursery for over a year now and we couldn't be happier with the care receives. The staff are warm, nurturing, and genuinely invested in each child's development. From the moment she started, they made her feel safe and valued, helping her grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity. The activities are creative and enriching, and she comes home excited to share what she's learned. Communication is excellent-we're always kept informed and feel completely reassured. Most importantly, our daughter absolutely loves going to nursery. The joy on her face each morning says it all. We're so grateful to the amazing team at Dockside for creating such a positive and loving environment. Highly recommend!
Thank you for your kind words! We love having your little one at Dockside :)
Wonderful nursery. My now almost 3 year old toddler has been attending since 9-months old. Child centred & professional approach. Friendly & enthusiastic staff. Attentive to my toddlers needs. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dockside Day Nursery & Pre-School. Thank you for all you do!
Thank you for your kind words - we love having little one here at Dockside!! :)
Our son has been at Dockside for 2 years and we cannot express how amazing it is! We had to move our son from another nursery which closed down without any notice very quickly and our son's transition to Dockside was seamless - he went in skipping in the morning and always came out smiling and this is down to the incredible staff they have who are so talented and nurturing and just all round wonderful! We will miss everyone dearly and will always be grateful for everything they have done for our son to prepare him for school and his next steps! The Manager is the bomb and she has a team of superstars! Highly recommend this nursery - there is nowhere better! Thank you!
Thank you so much, what a smashing review. It has been a wonderful 2 years to see him grow. We will miss seeing you all, thanks for choosing Dockside and we hope the next school journey is amazing.
Our son has been attending the nursery for 4 years and is just leaving to start primary school. We are so thankful that when viewing nurseries we settled with Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-School. Our son loves attending, and the feel of the nursery is very much a family. All the staff know our son and are able to provide detailed handovers at the end of the day. We are provided developmental updates and photos via the app and this is lovely to feel involved in our son's learning and interests. Our son is very well prepared to start primary school. We are going to miss the friendly staff and laughs at the stories they tell us of our son's antics. The management team are involved in the day-to-day running of the nursery and are equally able to tell us what our son has been doing. We could not recommend the nursery enough and are so thankful for all they have done for our son.
Wow, 4 years, it has gone so quickly and he has really come along. We will miss you all, he will do well at school and is so confident now. Thank you so much.
Our son has been going to Dockside Day Nursery since he was a year old and has just completed his last day in Preschool. It is an amazing nursery with lovely staff. His confidence with his peers and learning has grown so much thanks to them. We will be forever grateful and will miss you all.
Thank you so much for a lovely review, we have really enjoyed looking after him at Dockside Day Nursery and wish him the very best first day at school. Kind Regards
Our son has been at the nursery for 4 years and our daughter started a year ago and we are so thankful for everything the team have done for them both throughout these years. They are always professional but have also become like part of the family to us. Our son loves attending and has never felt nervous about going in and this is due to the fun environment the team provide and maintains whilst making sure they are ready to transition to primary. He has become so confident and that is all thanks to the nursery and we will be very sad when he has to say goodbye to them all. Whilst there are days our daughter can be a bit reluctant to go in, the team are always there to greet her with a smile and a cuddle and she is always happy to go straight to them. We always recommend the nursery to our friends and family and would like to say a huge thank you to you all.
Thank you for your review. It has been an absolute pleasure being a part of your little one's learning journey. We will miss him lots! Thank you for your continued support.
My daughter attended the nursery from the age of 2. Born during Covid I was worried about social skills, however, I think that the nursery has been integral to my little one forming close friendships and she is very outgoing and social. She is also very excited to start school and I think again this is down to the care and attention in preparing the children for their next steps. Would recommend
Covid was a difficult time for all our little ones and she has certainly come on in leaps and bounds. Thank you so much for your lovely review. Kind regards
My son attended this nursery for one year and I couldn't be more grateful for the care he was provided. If you're looking for a nursery with polite, kind and caring practitioners, this is definitely the one for you. The manager is very proactive, and I knew my child would feel welcomed here from the first day I met her. In one year, he has shown significant improvement in his behaviour, speech, and interaction with other children and adults, and is a lot more confident now. My son is very fond of his key worker and the other practitioners and really enjoys his time at the nursery. This nursery is indeed outstanding.
Thank you so much for your lovely review of Dockside Day Nursery. It is really appreciated and we are really happy at his amazing progress. Kind regards
A heartfelt thank you to you all for all your hard work, love, dedication, patience, and care. You have been nothing but supportive not only to our daughter but our little family. You've helped develop her in many ways and also embedded some truly great values. Caring, supporting, teaching, and developing whilst making every day a fun environment to go to which was also very important. You have done amazing throughout covid and truly have a remarkable team they are all lovely staff and had an impact on our daughter's development and 1st stages in life and helped prepare her for school through creative and educational activities even, through play and songs that were easy to memorise. While keeping us updated regularly with golden moments and observations. This all means that the transition from nursery to Reception should be smooth. A big thank you to the Manager as well as the team, we will never forget you with this important chapter of my daughter's life.
Thank you so much for your kind words, we have loved being a part of your daughter's journey and wish her all the best in her new adventure in primary school. We will all miss you all. Thank you for your continued support over the years, we appreciate it.
There is good feedback provided each day alongside the more formal pieces shared through observations in the app. The team are flexible and has been able to support us when hours have changed at work. There are a number of activities across the year which support learning and bring fun to the rooms.
Thank you for the kind words, we have loved having your child here at Dockside over the years. Thank you all for your continued support since your child started, it has not gone unnoticed at all. We wish her all the best in her new adventure at primary school.
My son's overall time with the nursery has been nothing short of amazing. He has come so far since his first day and loves all the staff that work with him, often asking to see them over the weekends! The staff are always so helpful and give a detailed handover of each day. I have never had any complaints about the nursery as they are excellent and very attentive. I can't wait for my youngest to start.
Thank you for your kind words, we have loved having your son at Dockside and equally cannot wait for your little one to join us! Thank you for your continued support.
Child Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (0) & Events (0)
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Awards / Recognitions (1)
- Recipient: Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-schoolDate: Tuesday 12 Apr 2022
Meet the Team (1)
We’d love to welcome you to our Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-School! Come and explore our friendly nursery at the Dockside Outlet Shopping Centre, meet our caring and experienced team, and see our fantastic learning spaces in action.
Take a tour of our unique, fully secure rooftop garden with beautiful views over Chatham Maritime Marina and discover how we help children learn, play, and thrive every day.
We can’t wait to meet you and your family!
Frequently Asked Questions about Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school
What is the Age Range of Children that Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school accepts?
Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 4 years 11 months.
What Days & Hours is Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school Open?
Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school is open: 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.
How many Children does Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school have capacity for?
Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school has capacity for a total of 109 Children.
How far is Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school to the centre of Chatham?
1.5 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 Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Dockside Day Nursery and Pre-school has an Enhanced Service - more info.