# ELS at Under 5's Preschool

ELS at Under 5's Preschool is a sessional pre-school at The Village Centre, High Street, Staplehurst Tonbridge, TN12 0BJ, in Staplehurst, Kent. It is registered for 28 children. Its Ofsted report card (November 2025) grades inclusion Strong standard, curriculum and teaching Expected standard, achievement Expected standard, behaviour and routines Expected standard, children's welfare and well-being Expected standard and leadership and governance Expected standard; safeguarding standards met. It is run by Early Learning Steps Ltd.

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/els-at-under-5s-preschool-2781460  
Last checked 30 June 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Sessional pre-school
- Address: The Village Centre, High Street, Staplehurst Tonbridge, TN12 0BJ
- Registered places: 28
- Run by: [Early Learning Steps Ltd](https://toddly.co.uk/groups/early-learning-steps-ltd)
- Ofsted URN: 2781460

## Ofsted and official records

Report card inspection, 25 November 2025. Report cards grade each area separately; there is no single headline grade.

| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Behaviour and routines | Expected standard |
| Children's welfare and well-being | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |

Safeguarding standards met.

Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2781460

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since March 2024 (Reference 2781460). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2781460)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 25 November 2025). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2781460)
- Registered places: 28 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2781460)
- Food hygiene rating: 4 (Good) (inspected 29 October 2025). Source: Food Standards Agency, checked 13 November 2026 (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1886334)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: The Village Centre, High Street, Staplehurst Tonbridge, TN12 0BJ

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.162942,0.554003

- Station: Staplehurst, 0.6 miles
- 2 bus stops within 400 m
- Playground: Playground, 0.2 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.4 miles

NaPTAN, Department for Transport, checked 13 November 2026 · © OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026.

## Places and next steps

Spaces: not published yet.

In Kent there are about 3.2 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces. Source: ONS Census 2021.

When to apply: https://toddly.co.uk/when-to-apply-for-nursery

## Ratings


## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staplehurst School | Primary | 4–11 | Good (January 2022) |  | 0.2 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Daisy's Day Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/daisys-day-nursery-2821459) |  |  |  | 0.2 miles |
| [Poppys Day Nursery Ltd](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/poppys-day-nursery-ltd-ey373346) | Outstanding |  |  | 0.2 miles |
| [The Learning Tree Nursery School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-learning-tree-nursery-school-127693) | Good |  |  | 0.4 miles |
| [Frittenden Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/frittenden-pre-school-127200) | Outstanding |  |  | 2.3 miles |
| [Headcorn Preschool](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/headcorn-preschool-2644699) | Good |  |  | 2.8 miles |
| [Marden Pre-School Playgroup](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/marden-pre-school-playgroup-127367) | Outstanding |  |  | 3.0 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is ELS at Under 5's Preschool's Ofsted rating?

ELS at Under 5's Preschool was inspected on 25 November 2025 and given an Ofsted report card. Report cards grade each area separately rather than giving one headline grade: inclusion Strong standard, curriculum and teaching Expected standard, achievement Expected standard, behaviour and routines Expected standard, children's welfare and well-being Expected standard and leadership and governance Expected standard. Safeguarding standards met.

### How many children can ELS at Under 5's Preschool take?

ELS at Under 5's Preschool is registered with Ofsted for up to 28 children at any one time.

### Who runs ELS at Under 5's Preschool?

ELS at Under 5's Preschool is run by Early Learning Steps Ltd, which runs 3 nurseries.

### What is the nearest station to ELS at Under 5's Preschool?

Staplehurst is the nearest station we know of, 0.6 miles away in a straight line.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2781460)
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools, as of 4 November 2026 (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.