Welcome

At Bridge House & First Steps we constantly strive to offer outstanding care, by nurturing each child’s individuality and wellbeing. We support their own natural curiosity, by encouraging independent and adventurous learning providing a safe, secure, cosy and stimulating environment for them to explore and play. Providing outstanding care for children from 3 months to 3 years, we are open 50 weeks of the year from 7.30am to 6.30pm (with the exception of Bank Holidays and 18 Dec 2010 - 3 Jan 2011). 

We are ideally situated in the centre of Ashford with close links to the international station and Junctions 9 & 10 of the M20. Bridge House & First Steps have beautiful gardens set in extensive grounds where children can play and learn about the outside environment safely, ready to move up to the Nursery class of Ashford Friars Prep School in Great Chart.

Ducklings (3-18 months)

The Ducklings Room is located on the ground floor of Bridge House. It has a wonderful, warm, welcoming and loving environment with well set out, stimulating areas for the babies to explore and learn. There is also a designated sleep room for when they need to rest. Each child has a key person who cares for their individual, emotional and physical needs reporting to parents at the end of the day via a contact book.

We have a carefully planned settling-in period where parents are given the opportunity to talk about the needs of both the child and themselves, and get to know the staff in the room.

Otters & Kingfishers (18-28 months) 

The Otters and Kingfishers Rooms are located on the ground floor of Bridge House. In these rooms we encourage children to learn though play and develop independence at their own pace. We are also able to support the physical development of children by, for example, continuing routines started at home such as potty training.

Frogs & Turtles (28-36 months) 

Also known as First Steps, these rooms are located in Nightingale House a little further up East Hill. At this stage the children’s enquiring minds are developing quite rapidly and we create exciting and stimulating situations for them to explore and learn. We encourage children to make sensible choices about their own physical needs as this will lead to secure decision making as they get older and help them to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Each child has a key person to support your child's learning, encouraging their independence. The children also start to form secure friendships and an understanding of other children’s feelings.