A very warm welcome and thank you for your interest in Puddle Ducks Nursery. We’re delighted that you are considering us as the place where your little one could begin their exciting early years journey.
At Puddle Ducks, we believe that every child deserves a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where they can learn, grow, and shine in their own unique way. Our passionate and experienced team is committed to supporting each child’s development through play-based learning, curiosity-led exploration, and lots of joyful moments.
We understand that choosing the right nursery is a big decision, and we are here to help make the process as smooth and reassuring as possible. Building strong, trusting relationships with families is at the heart of what we do, and we’re always happy to answer questions and share how we can support your child.
This information pack gives you a glimpse of life at Puddle Ducks, from our daily routines and learning approach to what to expect and how we work closely with parents. If you’d like to know more, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We hope to welcome you and your little one to Puddle Ducks soon and to share many happy memories together.
With warm wishes,
The Puddle Ducks Nursery Team
At Puddle Ducks Nursery, we believe that the foundations of a happy, thriving child are built on love, care, and meaningful relationships. Our values guide everything we do and are woven into every moment of the day.
Kindness – Care – Belonging – Curiosity – Confidence
“A place to be kind, to belong, to care, to wonder, and to grow.”
At Puddle Ducks, we create a nurturing and joyful environment where every child is known, cared for, and encouraged to shine. Our team is passionate about creating a setting that feels like a second home, full of love, laughter, and learning.
We believe in the power of play and the importance of giving children time and space to explore the world at their own pace. Our environment is stimulating yet gentle, designed to inspire wonder and support each child’s emotional and developmental needs.
Here at Puddle Ducks we offer a warm homely space where every child and family is truly valued. This allows us to build strong, trusting relationships with children and parents, ensuring that each child receives highly individualised care and attention.
Our Salehurst nursery is set on a working farm in a beautiful peaceful countryside location, while our Hurst Green nursery is set back from the road in a village location. Our nurseries offer a calm and natural environment that encourages curiosity, creativity, and a deep connection with the world around them. The quiet, unhurried settings give children the freedom to explore both indoors and out, supporting their wellbeing and fostering a love of learning.
We promote emotional literacy, kind behaviour, and respectful relationships, helping children understand themselves and others. We champion diversity and teach children to value and celebrate the differences that make each of us special.
Working in close partnership with families, we create a strong community where children feel that they truly belong. At Puddle Ducks, we are laying the foundations for lifelong learning.
Puddle Ducks Nursery is open Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 6:00pm, offering flexible childcare to support family life.
We are open 50 Weeks of the year, closing one week over Christmas and one week in the Summer. We will share exact dates on newsletters.
We offer three session options to suit different routines and schedules:
Full Day: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Morning Session: 8:00am – 1:00pm
Afternoon Session: 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Whether attending part-time or full-time, children enjoy a warm, nurturing environment with consistent care and enriching learning experiences.
We’re pleased to offer government-funded childcare places for eligible families, including the expanded offer from September 2025. All funded hours are offered on a stretched basis, meaning they are spread across 51 weeks of the year to better support year-round care.
For Working Families
Eligible working families may receive: Up to 22.5 hours per week of funded childcare
This is equivalent to: 4 core 5-hour sessions per week, and if required, 2.5 addtional hours towards a further session.
All families may receive: Up to 15 hours per week of funded childcare, which we offer as: 11.25 hours per week, stretched across the year.
This would typically cover: 2 x 5-hour sessions per week, plus a shorter 1.25-hour session.
We’re here to help you make the most of your funding and will work with you to find the sessions that best suit your family.
At Puddle Ducks Nursery, we offer high-quality care and early education in a nurturing, nature-inspired environment. We believe in clear, fair pricing and are committed to supporting families with flexible sessions and access to government-funded childcare.
Please Note
At our Hurst Green site please be aware that we expect to offer funded hours but our application process has not been fully signed off yet by the local authority. We expect to have confirmed imminently.
Fee Structure
Our fees are based on your child’s age and session length. All sessions include breakfast, healthy snacks, drinks, and a wide range of learning experiences.
| Age | Cost Per Hour | Cost for ½ Day | Cost for full day |
| Babies 0-2 | £7.80 | £39 | £78 |
| Toddlers 2-3 | £7.28 | £36.4 | £72.80 |
| Preschool 3+ | £6.76 | £33.80 | £67.60 |
Pricing subject to annual increases in April of each year
Included in your fees:
Breakfast (served during morning sessions)
Healthy snacks (morning and afternoon)
Milk and drinks
High-quality play resources and educational activities
Please note:
We do offer a hot lunch and a cold tea supplied by a children’s catering company which will be charged for. This is optional as a packed lunch and tea may be supplied from home.
Our Hurst Green site may not have Zebedees (catering company) on offer from April so in this case parents will need to provide their child with a packed lunch and tea. We will let parents know when Zebedees is available.
Invoices are sent monthly in advance and payments are due by the 1st of each month.
For example, your invoice for September will be sent to you at least a week before the start of August, and payment will be due by 1st August.
This system allows us to plan staffing and resources effectively, ensuring the best care for your child.
If you have any questions about payments or invoices, please don’t hesitate to contact us — we are always happy to help.
We accept bank transfers, Tax-Free Childcare, and childcare vouchers
Any additional sessions will be added to your monthly invoice
Late payments may be subject to a fee
We know that starting nursery is a big step for both children and their families and at Puddle Ducks, we’re here to make that transition as smooth, gentle, and reassuring as possible.
Every child is unique, and so is their journey into nursery life. We take time to get to know each child and their family, working holistically to understand their individual needs, routines, and personality. Building strong, trusting relationships is at the heart of everything we do.
We offer settling-in sessions in the lead-up to your child’s start date. These are short visits that gradually increase in length, helping your child to become familiar with the setting and build a bond with their key person.
A typical settling-in plan might include:
We know that every child settles at their own pace, so we’ll work closely with you to adjust the plan as needed. Some children may benefit from additional sessions, and that’s absolutely fine, we’ll always follow your child’s lead.
Here are a few gentle ways you can support your child in preparing for nursery:
We’re here to support you every step of the way, please feel free to ask us anything, share concerns, or let us know what works best for your child.
At Puddle Ducks Nursery, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) while embracing a gentle, nature-inspired approach to learning. Our aim is to nurture confident, curious, and kind individuals through play, connection, and meaningful experiences indoors and out.
The EYFS framework supports children’s learning and development across seven key areas:
Prime Areas (core to early development):
Specific Areas (broadening knowledge and skills):
At Puddle Ducks, these areas are brought to life through hands-on play, outdoor learning, and child-led exploration, with trusted adults supporting every step of the way.
We believe children learn best when they feel safe, heard, and inspired. Here’s how we make that happen:
Our routine offers structure, but also plenty of freedom. Children move between activities at their own pace, with free-flow access to the garden from 9:00am, and the ability to rest whenever they need to. A calm quiet time is also offered around 1:00pm, but rest is always led by the child.
A Typical Day at Puddle Ducks Nursery
Time | Activity |
8:00am | Arrival, welcome, free-play indoors and breakfast offered |
9:00am | Adult-led activity (e.g. sensory circuits, storytime, games) followed by opening our outdoor space |
10:00am | Healthy morning snack |
10:15am – 12:00pm | Child-led free play indoors and outdoors |
12:00pm | Lunch – packed lunch from home |
1:00pm | Optional quiet time – soft music, stories, rest if needed Free play and outdoor access continue |
2:00pm | Adult-led activity (e.g. creative play, music, group games) |
2:30pm | Healthy afternoon snack |
3:00pm – 4:00pm | Child-led play |
4:00pm | Tea – packed tea from home |
4:30 – 6:00pm | Child-led play |
Children are free to rest at any time throughout the day. We provide cosy, calm areas both indoors and outdoors where children can lie down, read, or simply take a break.
Supporting your child’s health, wellbeing, safety and independence through play and learning.
HALO (Healthy Active Little Ones) is a local programme that we are proud to be part of. It helps nurseries and early years settings promote healthy habits and positive development in young children.
Through fun activities and play, we help children learn how to:
✔️Look after their health and wellbeing
✔️ Be active and confident
✔️ Stay safe
✔️ Communicate effectively
✔️ Develop independence and self-care
At our nursery, we embed HALO principles throughout our day-to-day routines, helping your child build strong foundations for life.
We encourage children to:
We promote physical development by offering:
We support your child’s emotional wellbeing through:
We teach children simple, age-appropriate ways to stay safe:
We help children gain confidence in looking after themselves by:
Strong communication skills are key to your child’s learning and wellbeing. We promote speech and language through:
We also work with parents if children need extra support with their speech, language or communication development.
You may see:
We encourage you to join us in promoting healthy habits at home too.
Our goal through HALO is to help children build lifelong healthy habits, in a playful, engaging and supportive way.
We are proud to embed HALO principles into our nursery life and believe that together, with you, we can help your child thrive.
If you have any questions or would like more information about HALO, please ask, we’d love to share more with you.
To help your little one feel comfortable and well cared for, please provide the following items:
Please label all items with your child’s name
To help your child have a fun and comfortable time with us, please provide the following essentials:
Please can all items be labelled with your child’s name where possible
At Puddle Ducks, we know that mealtimes are an important part of each day, not just for nourishment, but also for connection, independence, and building healthy habits.
You may choose to pack a lunch and tea for your child or may choose to use Zebedees which is a childrens catering company who supply a hot lunch and a cold tea to the children daily.
We use Zebedees which is a children catering company who provide a hot lunch for children and a cold tea. Alternatively parents may provide their child with a packed lunch. We’ll provide a healthy breakfast for early starters and nutritious snacks mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Our typical schedule looks like this:
All meals and snacks are enjoyed in a calm, sociable setting where children are encouraged to eat independently and try new foods.
We offer full fat milk for children under 2 and semi-skimmed milk for children aged 2+.
If you prefer you can bring your own snack for your little one.
To support children’s health and wellbeing, we ask that packed lunches and teas follow our nursery nutrition guidelines. We’ll provide clear information to help you with ideas and suggestions that support a balanced, child-friendly diet. To view our nutrition guidelines click here.
We kindly ask that packed meals:
We take dietary needs very seriously and have a clear process in place to keep every child safe and well cared for.
When your child joins us, we’ll ask you to share full details of any allergies, intolerances, cultural preferences, or family choices (e.g. vegetarian or halal diets). We’ll work closely with you to ensure these are fully understood and followed.
Our team is trained in allergy awareness, and meals and snacks are prepared and served with care and attention to each child’s individual needs. We also have clear systems in place to avoid cross-contamination.
If your child has a known allergy, we’ll put a personalised care plan in place with you and carry out regular reviews to keep everything up to date. To view our policy on allergies and dietary requirements click here.
We believe that strong, open communication between nursery and home is key to giving every child the best possible start.
We see parents as partners and work hard to keep you informed, involved, and supported every step of the way.
We’ll keep you regularly updated on your child’s day, progress, and important nursery news through a range of communication tools, including:
We’re always here to listen. If you have any feedback, ideas, or concerns, big or small, please don’t hesitate to let us know. You can:
We welcome all feedback, it helps us reflect, improve, and ensure our nursery continues to be the best it can be for your child and family.
If you’d like to register your child at Puddle Ducks Salehurst or Hurst Green, we’d be delighted to welcome you!
Click here to complete our registration form
Once we’ve received your form, we’ll be in touch to confirm your child’s place (subject to availability) and talk through next steps, including start dates, settling-in sessions, and any specific needs your child may have.
If you have any questions before registering or would like help with the form, feel free to contact us, we’re always happy to help.
Salehurst, Robertsbridge
TN32 5PJ
