Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ
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8.0 20 Reviews

Care Provided by Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • Owner
  • University of Essex Campus Services
  • Person in charge
  • Lucy Rose (Early Years Practice Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 52
  • Total Places for Children
  • 132
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

  • 0-2 years:
    Morning - £41.25
    Afternoon - £41.25
    Whole day - £71.78


    2-3 years:
    Morning - £40.43   
    Afternoon - £40.43   
    Whole day - £70.40


    3-5 years:
    Morning - £38.78
    Afternoon - £38.78
    Whole day - £67.38


    Effective from 1st August 2024.


  • Fees are discounted for Staff & Students and will be confirmed on application with the Nursery.


  • Parking
  • There are a number of free parking spaces outside the Nursery entrance for parents dropping off and collecting their children. These bays have a 20 minute time limit.


Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery Reviews (20)

8.0

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery has a Review Score of 8.0 (8.038) out of 10, based on 1 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery has 20 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 4-year-old daughter loves WPDN so much, she enjoys going to school and after school, she tells me all about her day. The teachers and management are amazing. We get updates on her everyday activities through word of mouth and the app which is very cool. We get to engage with them. She tells us her
school friends are all great and she likes playing and learning with them. It is a great experience for her and she is happy. She learnt a lot here since she started in January 2023, she can talk confidently and knows potty very well. We are forever grateful for the nursery and the staff. It is indeed a wonderful nursery and we have been fortunate enough to get her in. She likes everything about her nursery and forest school is a hit.
We highly recommend WPDN

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you so much for taking the time to send us this lovely review, we have shared this with the team and it has brightened their day! We really enjoy having your daughter here with us, she always comes to nursery with a warm and friendly smile and has plenty to tell us about her day. We know she will go on to love school and will continue to thrive in all that she chooses to do.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are so friendly and dedicated to the children they support. The nursery is warm and welcoming with a positive atmosphere. We would recommend Wivenhoe Park nursery to anyone looking for childcare. They provide a calm and safe environment for your children to learn and develop.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for our glowing review. We feedback our reviews to all of the staff and it gives us all a real boost and big smiles! It's great that our parents are as happy as the children in our care. We feel proud of our nursery and are blessed to have the support of our parents so that together we create a welcoming environment for everyone. We look forward to watching your child grow alongside you in the coming years


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy absolutely loves Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery. The staff are all very welcoming and have established great relationships with my boy since day one. The nursery offers great outdoor space to explore and a range of indoor activities suitable for each age bracket. I would highly recommend Wivenhoe
Park Day Nursery to anyone thinking of joining.

Reply from Faith Grainger, Marketing Officer at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for your very kind review. We are very proud of how well the children have settled over the past 2 years during the pandemic, many parents have not been able to come into the nursery but we tried our best to involve parents as much as possible with garden visits and plenty of uploads on the online journal. The children have amazed us with their confidence and resilience.


We are also very lucky to have such a large outdoor space! We are an outdoor learning nursery and it’s the reason many of our parents choose us.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Can’t speak highly enough about this nursery. They have looked after my daughter since she was little and she’s flourished and grown as she’s transitioned through the rooms. They carefully plan and tailor their care and activities to her needs.
The staff team are so dedicated and committed to the children
in their care, you can feel it with every interaction.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I couldn't be happier with the nursery! My son is so happy to go there. I am very happy with the range of activities on offer and especially the outdoor space/focus on nature etc. I love that he comes home having spent the day in a safe, happy and supportive environment where he has had the chance to
develop in different ways - whether through his own choice of play or other activities on offer. He gets to do so many things he would never do at home. The staff are amazing! My son has grown in confidence and in many other ways. I also feel supported by their advice etc.

Reply from Faith Grainger, Marketing Officer at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this lovely review. We have shared your kind words with the team and it has given them all a big boost (and made them blush a little as we re-iterate how proud we are of them all). We are always thinking up new ways to keep the children at nursery interested in their play environments and we get just as excited about staging those opportunities in preparation for the children’s enjoyment just as the children do themselves playing together. Never a dull moment that’s for sure.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has only attended for a few months so far, and he has absolutely flourished under Wivenhoe Park Dat Nursery's care. I really couldn't fault them! To see my boy so happy and proud of himself for showing me his new skills is only a credit to his key workers. We are exceptionally happy that we chose
Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery.

Reply from Faith Grainger, Marketing Officer at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

What a lovely review! Thank you very much, it's lovely to read such positive comments from our parents. Seeing children happy and thriving is what we are here for!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We've had our son in nursery now just two weeks and we have been very happy so far - and so has he! He has bonded with his carers very quickly and can't wait to see them each day. The carers are very warm with him and also do a good job of keeping us in the loop. We appreciate both our verbal updates
at pickup and the daily written reports. Mom stops by to breastfeed when she's on campus, which is a really nice option! It's helped them both transition from being together all the time.

Reply from Faith Grainger, Marketing Officer at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. Many mums love the fact that if they work or study on campus and are still breastfeeding they are welcomed to the nursery throughout the day to feed.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my boys have attended Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery and had brilliant experiences. The staff are friendly and caring and work so hard to provide a stimulating environment. Both the inside and outside spaces and facilities are excellent. The communication with and from the staff is great. I would
definitely recommend Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery. Also, they have dealt with the pandemic exceptionally well.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to leave us this lovely review. I think this pandemic has reminded us all about the importance of our communications with parents as we are always looking for new ways to keep you updated about nursery life. It is also important to us that we continue to find new ways to show that we are listening carefully so that we can learn about your child, your family and what life is like for them outside of nursery in order to get a holistic understanding of the best ways in which to offer care. Both of your boys are great fun and excellent company. They especially love the outdoors and we enjoy exploring and learning together.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Due to Covid, my 19-month-old daughter has had no interaction with baby groups, other children or socialising in any way. I was so nervous bringing her to the nursery as I wasn't sure how she was going to be leaving me and being around other people. Her key worker in Daisy room is amazing with her and
due to the understanding and care given to my daughter, she loves going to nursery, it seems. I always get the reports through on time with what has been eaten and what she has done and they really do look after the children so well. I would highly recommend this nursery if you are looking for somewhere to leave your child and have peace of mind that they are having fun and a good time.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely review and for recommending us. I have shared this with the Daisy team – such feedback is great for boosting staff morale! Having so much time at home has caused many parents to be anxious about leaving their child at nursery, especially as they have only had their parent for company and stimulation within the same four walls 24/7 (thanks to Covid). I try to offer reassurances that the children will settle as I see lots of happy, content children. But your review really helps to show other parents feeling a similar way to you. The children are all settling well into nursery life and seem to thoroughly enjoy the company of the other children the same age as them. There is so much to do at the nursery in their child-centred world and it doesn’t take long at all to calm and distract a child that arrives a little tearful, to begin with. Soon enough they are happy to wave goodbye at the door and know you will return later.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery has been so wonderful for my daughter. She absolutely loves nursery and all of the staff. She has such a special relationship with her key worker too which has been one of the main reasons why she enjoys it so much. Staff always go above and beyond, and communication between
nursery and home has always been excellent. Fantastic nursery. The staff makes it what it is. The outdoor space is also amazing and the Forest School facility.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to send us a wonderful review. We too value the role of a child’s key person and know what a difference it can make if that relationship works well. If we notice a special bond with a staff member and a child, we always try our very best to allocate that staff member to the child as a key person. We feel blessed to have the great team and wonderful nursery surroundings that we do and try to make the most of them in every way we can. We will be very sad to see your daughter leave us next year as she starts the next chapter of her childhood at ‘big school’, but we know she will be ready and raring when the time comes!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son loves attending Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery. He has attended since he was 6-months-old. The staff there are brilliant, caring, and attentive. The range of activities is imaginative, creative and educational and the biggest bonus is the location - all of that outside space in nature: a lake, park,
and woodlands - on top of dedicated excellent gated play areas for the children (by age group) with fountains, and mud kitchens, and sandpits. They keep pets, and chickens, and collect the eggs and the nursery has a fantastic multi-cultural ethos - so celebrating Diwali is as normal as Christmas, and counting in Spanish, as normal as English. I am very pleased my son has a place here.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Wow, thank you very much, Sharon, for our glowing review, it is so kind of you to take the time out to submit this for us. We are glad you are pleased with the nursery care and the facilities we offer. We do what we can to ensure all the children feel included and just as comfortable to play and learn as they would at home with you. Our nursery pets love all the fuss they get from the children too - we are sure! The Pre-school room is just about to gain some new tropical fish to have in their calm area as they make a great opportunity for discussion and distraction with all their bright colours and gentle movements.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are really happy with the nursery. Our daughter is in the last room now and she runs in every morning! The staff have done fantastic work keeping everything as normal as possible for the children and ensuring they follow safety procedures in an age-appropriate way. We have no doubts that they are
keeping our children as safe as possible. Communication is good and the team are very approachable with any issues. My daughter has developed a love of learning, particularly in the preschool room and has developed immensely since moving up. She talks warmly about her nursery friends and adults. The forest school and outdoor provision is also very good and our child is encouraged to spend time outdoors as much as possible and this love of nature is reflected at home. We are very grateful for how the nursery has supported our child and us as parents during the current pandemic.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave this review for us. It is so wonderful when we get the privilege to watch the children grow from an early age and transition through to the different nursery rooms. It is lovely to see how the children who naturally show reservation about coming to nursery for the first time, soon progress to come in through our doors with a big smile and a wave goodbye to their parents for the day. We hope that it demonstrates exactly for all new families, that the initial worry and questions about making the right choices as a parent all pay off in the end. Children are resilient and show us every day that in a safe and loving environment, they can and go forth and conquer most things in life. We are glad to have played such a big role in your daughter's wonderful little world so far.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery is excellent, and my little girl loves going. The staff are so attentive and caring. I always feel confident that my daughter is well looked after and she gets a lot out of the activities and play that she takes part in during her time at nursery. The routine at nursery has
always fit in with my daughter's stage of development, but the staff are flexible and are able to suit different sleep routines for example.

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you so much for taking the time to complete this review for us, it really means a lot to us and we have shared this with our team, who work hard to ensure all the children are happy, content and that they are reaching their developmental milestones. It helps that we love our jobs and get excited planning activities we know the children will respond well to. There is nothing quite like setting up a new idea for an activity and watching the children’s faces as they arrive and go off to explore – totally priceless!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has loved the nursery since she started at 1 years old. She's been cared for by 3 teams so far, and each one has been amazing. Her key people have been so friendly and helpful and help me to relax as a parent. I love getting her daily reports and all the fun activities she is involved in.
She particularly loves Diddi Dance, and I can't wait for her to start Forest School sessions.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our child started going to the nursery when she was 11 months old. We unexpectedly needed a place due to work and the management made it possible. We enjoy going to work after leaving our daughter in the nursery with a smile and full of confidence with her teachers. The nursery offers well balanced
and diverse food, including two cooked meals a day. Children are stimulated by excellent equipped toys assortment. There is a beautiful outdoor space which our daughter loves exploring. The nurser's chickens were essential for the settling in period, one look at them and there were no more tears. Last but not least the nursery staff are absolutely excellent. They are key to our daughter's happiness and development.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Amazing nursery. My son is very happy to attend nursery and really enjoys activities like Diddi Dance on Tuesday. I praise the staff and the amazing job they do at making sure my son and all the children are well looked after and have amazing learning opportunities.

Reply from Lucy Rose, Early Years Practice Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to give us such a wonderful review. Diddi Dance is a huge hit with all the children. We are currently looking at what other activities/ classes we can introduce the children too


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started nursery at 4 months old. He is now 14 months old and we never see him have a bad day. He loves the food, the playtimes and especially the staff. I really enjoy receiving the daily feedbacks and reports and I find everyone very supportive of my son's time at the nursery. I think the nursery
is also really good at creative out of hours experiences that involve the whole family, it's very friendly and interactive. Highly recommended.

Reply from Lucy Rose at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely review. We pride ourselves on our strong parent partnerships, whether that’s with the feedback provided to you at the end of the session (verbally and electronically) or through regular progress meetings. We put in a lot of time and effort in organising our parent events/celebrations and it’s wonderful to hear they are so well received.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Superb nursery - our two kids are so happy there. Really caring and attentive staff and brilliant facilities. Both our kids have come on leaps and bounds - I can't recommend highly enough!

Reply from Dawn Saunders, Nursery Manager at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

James, we honestly feel blessed to have both your children here with us, we all enjoy listening to your son's stories and adventures, he is a polite and caring big brother for his bright-eyed, contented little sister. I am sure they will make a big difference to the world in which they grow; they certainly are already making a positive difference to our lives here at nursery.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little girl has just started in this nursery. She has settled in so well - as a parent it's really important to know that she's happy whilst you are at work. I can safely say this nursery ticks the boxes. I am also really impressed with the resources, the rooms are well equipped with a variety
of toys and activities and the outdoor space is amazing. My daughter loves playing out in the sandpit and I really like the way the outdoor play is promoted and encouraged as part of the day to day activity. The staff are really welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. Would recommend to anyone looking for childcare in the area.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend this nursery enough. My son has been with them from 6 months old when I returned to full time work and he loves it. He is now 14 months old and walking, talking and playing happily with other children. The staff are amazing and extremely caring towards the children, always having
arranged fun things to do each day. The fact he only cries when it's time to go home really does say it all!

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Current Review Score: 8.0 (8.038)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.0 (8.038) out of 10 for Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery 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 1 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.0 out of 5 from 1 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 5.000 for Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (12 Excellents x 5) ) ÷ 12 Ratings = 5

  • 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 3.038 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery is based on 1 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 = 3

    • 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 132 number of registered child places is 26.4. 1 Positive Reviews ÷ 26.4 = 0.038

  • 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 (1)

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Frequently Asked Questions about Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery accepts?

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery Open?

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery have capacity for?

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery has capacity for a total of 132 Children.

How far is Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery to the centre of Colchester?

2.2 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.