Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

The High Street, Mark Cross, Crowborough TN6 3PJ
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10 99 Reviews
  • Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross, Crowborough
Situated in the beautiful village of Mark Cross, East Sussex, this setting offers childcare close to Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough. Mark Cross is a well-established nursery, with pre-school and kids club facilities.

Mark Cross provides a welcoming home setting, with a very large garden designed to provide space and adventure for every child. This pre-school prepares children for starts in local schools and the bus runs to and from local schools for the kids’ club. Mark Cross was rated Good by Ofsted (August 2023).

Pennies At Mark Cross is situated in the village of Mark Cross in East Sussex and offers exceptional care for children from three months to five-years-old. The nursery offers a large outdoor facility and home-cooked food to support the healthy development of each child.

Pennies at Mark Cross has an excellent team and care facility for all children's needs.

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Care Provided by Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Victoria Atkins (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 20
  • Total Places for Children
  • 64
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening 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 & 1 week at Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

  • Per day:
    Under 2's £104.50
    2-3 yrs £102.50
    Over 3's £101.50

Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross Reviews (99)

Total of 99, showing 41-60
10

Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross has a Review Score of 10 (9.981) out of 10, based on 13 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross has 99 reviews.

Overall Experience

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Review from H R (Mother of Child) published on 19 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Pennies are just brilliant. The team are great, my daughter absolutely adores all of the team. I genuinely couldn't do without them! She is learning so much, developing brilliantly and I have to thank the team for that. Additionally, they potty trained her for me which was a godsend. I can't recommend
them enough.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for these kind comments, they give a real sense of the kind of childcare we are always working to provide. To see someone explain it working for them is a real boost to all of those involved at Mark Cross.


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Review from Chris B (Father of Child) published on 19 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Friendly attentive staff, happy daughter. We know she's in safe hands, and they seem to be doing all that is required during the pandemic to keep everything clean and safe in what must be very challenging times.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for this neat summary of how things are going for you. We are indeed trying to do everything that is required at this really challenging time. It's great to see those efforts reported and recognised by customers.


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Review from Holly S (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Absolutely love this nursery, my son could not be happier. He loves the staff, surroundings and especially the food. I find all of the staff really helpful and kind which really helps with drops offs. During this covid situation, the nursery has adapted really well and absolutely every decision has
had the children in mind.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for these comments. It's fair to say "the covid situation" has been a challenge to us all and we've done our best to adapt to the changes it has brought. It matters a great deal that our staff see these efforts recognised by customers.


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Review from Abi (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both our children love going to Pennies, our eldest has been going for 3 years and is still excited to go! All the staff have been wonderful in every room. I particularly like that the baby room is for babies and once they start walking confidently they move on to the toddler room. It was especially
important to me as both my children started around 10 months and still felt so small to be starting nursery! They have also been great about dietary requirements and have made it one less thing for me to worry about. Couldn’t recommend Pennies highly enough!

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Oh, thank you for these comments it's been a real lift for our staff this year to see people commenting on this site. When children stay with us for years it's not just the children who look forward to coming - our staff love to see them grow and turn into characters.


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Review from John F (Father of Child) published on 18 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wonderful nursery which both of my girls attended as after-school care. The staff are really friendly and ever so kind, and my girls thoroughly enjoyed going there after school. Would highly recommend!

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Review from Melanie C (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great nursery. My son went here from 8 months old and loved it. He only left the nursery as we moved away. Great staff and key workers. My son has really come along with his learning and life experiences being here.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

We really appreciate the chance to read a review from a family who have seen a child through the nursery to the point of moving on - it's also helpful for us when such reviews are available on this site. We wish you well in the future.


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Review from Gary F (Father of Child) published on 18 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since starting at Pennies at Mark Cross, our son has gone from strength to strength. He loves going in to see his friends (both big and little!) and afterwards loves telling us all about his adventures that day. Myself and my wife never have to worry about him in Pennies because we know how dedicated
the staff are and how much they care about the children they look after. We are very lucky to have found such an amazing nursery. Thank you all!

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for posting a review that paints a really clear picture of your son's days with us. It matters to staff to read such comments.


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Review from Jess (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Pennies is a lovely nursery and my daughter really enjoys her time there. Her key workers have been brilliant and we feel really supported and informed about all the things she gets up to by them and all the staff. She's always happy when she comes home and gets to do lots of different activities and
lots of outside time too. Thank you.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you for a review that draws attention to different things your daughter enjoys - including the time in our garden. We work hard to make all aspects of our childcare the best they can be, so it's encouraging for everyone concerned when a review highlights that.


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Review from Jenny (Mother of Child) published on 28 February 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Pennies Day Nursery is a fantastic nursery - Both my sons (1 and 3) plus their cousin (also 3) are very happy at Pennies Day Nursery and are developing well there. My 3-year-old is at the pre-school and loves having tennis lessons and going out in the garden. The manager and her team go that extra mile,
for example, if it’s raining and I’m struggling to get the boys in the car, a staff member will give me a hand (definitely not in the job description!). The staff really makes Pennies Day Nursery what it is. They do fun activities especially around the seasons - my son came home with a shoebox of Christmas crafts last December, he was so proud of what he’d made. Very happy with Pennies Day Nursery.

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Review from Vicky R (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I don’t know where to start, My little one is so incredibly happy she is currently in the baby room and absolutely loves the practitioners that work in there. She is always so happy to be left if she could push me out of the door she would! The girls have followed her routine perfectly, the communication
is excellent and they always have a friendly smile when they greet you in the mornings. Thank you to every single one of the girls at the nursery, including management that has settled her in great, I cannot thank you all enough.

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Review from Beth N (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started at Pennies this January and the staff have been fantastic and so accommodating. She was only 13 months old when she started so I was nervous about how she would settle, but all the staff have been so understanding and caring and my daughter has settled really well.
Every session
she attends there is an effort made to create new, varied and fun activities, even in the baby room, and she is often playing and having fun in their fantastic garden. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Pennies. Even though it is a drive away from where we live and there are more local nurseries available, it is well worth the journey.

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Review from Jane C (Mother of Child) published on 27 January 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a really fantastic nursery with a lovely home-from-home feel and kind, friendly staff who care about the parents as well as the children. They do everything possible to make sure you and your child are happy and provide excellent care - brilliant for a teary first-time mum. I couldn't recommend
them highly enough. Thank you Pennies team.

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Review from Lee H (Father of Child) published on 18 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Simply excellent, a clean friendly environment that my daughter (aged 9) loves. Loads to do always and whenever I pick up there are loads of smiles!

Reply from Natalie Larmour at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

The smiles spread to our staff when we read a review like this, thank you very much for sharing it!


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Review from H S (Mother of Child) published on 16 October 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Pennies have been very flexible to cater for my needs in looking after my son. They also help with dietary needs which have been challenging at times. I appreciate the service Pennies have given me in the past. Email communication is really good, which means you can rely on a contact method when necessary.

Reply from Natalie Larmour at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you for posting this review and taking time to comment on a range of the things we do. Areas like looking after dietary needs are always a challenge in childcare and it's great to know when we get these details right.


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Review from Charlotte B (Mother of Child) published on 14 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Pennies! I honestly can’t speak highly enough of this nursery. You have gone above and beyond to provide a clean, safe and secure setting for my daughter to start her learning journey. You have been so supportive to me as a parent too, keeping me informed every step of the way and making this step as
a parent as smooth as possible. The range of activities is just fantastic and the time put into them is next to none. Thank you so much for your committed dedication to all aspects of this nursery. Couldn’t ask for a more lovely and safe place to leave my child.

Reply from Natalie Larmour at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for such a positve review. We work hard to make sure every child is cared for as they would be in a family and when we read something like "Couldn’t ask for a more lovely and safe place to leave my child," it's a real boost for everyone involved at Mark Cross.


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Review from Linda B (Grandmother of Child) published on 14 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My Grandson is almost 3 and he loves it at Pennies. The staff are all very friendly and they take time to tell me what he's been up to, and he particularly likes the homemade lunch which he very often has seconds.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you for such a positive review - it's always pleasing to get a good review from a grandparent; and good that we have family members like grandparents involved with our nurseries.


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Review from Victoria B (Mother of Child) published on 14 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our children have and do love attending this nursery. The staff are friendly and caring and our children thrive at this nursery.
There is plenty of outdoor space for them to play in with many opportunities for the children to go outside.
When the children have off days and go in with tears the staff
have cheered them up by the time you get to the exit and they always have big grins on their faces when you pick them up at the end of the day.
The children enjoy playing with a variety of toys and have made some firm friendships with other children. The children have been encouraged to grow and learn new things at their own pace. Our children have been given the chance to do drama and tennis, which they have enjoyed.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you for such a detailed review - it's a real boost for our staff to see recognition for the little things they do; like dealing with the children when they are upset.


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Review from Nichola H (Mother of Child) published on 10 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are delighted with Pennies and cannot believe how well our daughter has settled in. She had major stranger anxiety issues when she first started settling in at 7 months and I was seriously doubting that she would ever calm down enough to be left there. However, two members of staff, in particular,
were so patient and caring with her that she went from crying at every drop off to launching herself in excitement towards them and cheerily waving me goodbye! She has, since starting, made enormous leaps and bounds forward in her social skills, which I fully attribute to her experience at Pennies.
She is now 10 months old and attends Pennies for one day a week, yet is as happy there as she is when she is with her grandparents the other four days a week, which I think is a testament to how family-like it is. I'm a teacher and thus have school holidays off, yet I still send her into nursery for her one day a week even when I'm off because I think she'd miss these staff members too much otherwise!

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for this detailed review and in particular the "family-like" comment. That's the standard of care we aim for and it's very rewarding for our staff to see reviews that acknowledge us reaching that standard.


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Review from Jessie W (Mother of Child) published on 10 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

An amazingly lovely and well-organised nursery.
From the staff to the food and care I can’t fault them. So accommodating when my little girl was settling in and went above and beyond to make it as easy and stress-free as possible!

Reply from Natalie Larmour at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you for taking the time to review us - it really boosts all of our staff when people recognise the efforts that we put in.


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Review from Brian P (Father of Child) published on 9 October 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic and friendly staff who made our son feel right at home from the very start 18-months ago. Even at the initial visit when considering nursery options, the staff were so engaged with him which made our minds up that Pennies was the place for him to go!
That care and attention he receives has
continued and I am in no doubt that his development has been greatly enhanced by the fabulous support he receives when at Pennies.

Reply from Natalie Larmour, Administrator at Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross

Thank you so much for this review. More than anything the fact families with children at Pennies recognize our staff, being engaged is a real boost to those staff, making them feel valued for the work they do.


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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.981)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.981) out of 10 for Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 13 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 13 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.981 for Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross is calculated as follows: ( (153 Excellents x 5) + (3 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 156 Ratings = 4.981

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Pennies Day Nursery - Mark Cross is based on 13 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 64 number of registered child places is 12.8, which has been reached with 13 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Awards / Recognitions (3)

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Meet the Team (2)

Victoria

Victoria Atkins

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2016

My childcare career began 10 years ago when I started working in the Mark Cross setting. There, I gained my Level 3 qualification in 2010, in which I developed my experience in becoming the Under Two’s Supervisor before being promoted as the Deputy Manager of this nursery.


When Pennies took over the company, I received the great privilege to be able to lead such a good team of childcare practitioners. In continuing my personal aspirations and being an active learner, I keep up to date with all childcare issues and have, since being Manager, completed a variety of management training courses.


Rebekah

Rebekah Waterhouse

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Joined: 2016

I began my childcare journey in 2007, leading to completing my NVQ Level 3 in Childcare, learning and development in 2009 whilst working with young children. I have worked in a variety of roles during my career, therefore developing my role as a leader. I joined Pennies in July 2017 and I love being within a positive and inspiring team!


I work in the office but still on the nursery floor to support staff, children and parents. I completed my Foundation Degree in July 2019, and remain to be a consistent active learner throughout my childcare career, in addition to being one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads.


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