Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UT
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9.9 87 Reviews
  • Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park, Norwich
Chestnut Nursery School Norwich Research Park (NRP) has a dedicated inspirational team of highly skilled and trained practitioners who deliver the highest quality childcare. Chestnut Nursery Schools believe that the first 5 years in a child's life are the most vital as they will learn and develop their own skills and attitudes that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

A highly skilled team consists of 80% Level 4 and above Early Years Childcare Educators who deliver the highest quality childcare in a safe and secure environment.

Chestnut Nursery School NRP encourages children to engage in exciting activities that challenge, support and extend their learning and development through the Core Curriculum:

Little Scientists - Exploring a variety of science activities that encourages children to see science all around them.

Little Explorers - Enabling children to explore and experience the natural world through hands on activities outdoors.

'Cooking together' involves groups of children working together to create recipes and encourages them to explore other fun activities which are linked with their cooking themes. Mini Artists - Exploring beautiful, found objects and materials that children can move, manipulate, control and change while they play.

Chestnut Nursery School has a stimulating environment to encourage a range of play, exploration and talk. Children are able to create, investigate, and explore, encouraging their curiosity, imagination, resilience and creativity. There is an abundance of high quality toys and equipment to enable children to have fun and learn at the same time.

Care Provided by Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Yvonne Hamilton (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 22
  • Total Places for Children
  • 114
  • 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 & Christmas
  • Parking
  • There are designated drop off spaces at the front of the nursery and also some long stay spaces at the back of the nursery for parents and visitors.


Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park Reviews (87)

Total of 87, showing 41-60
9.9

Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.942) out of 10, based on 26 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park has 87 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son started here after transferring from another nursery. We have been thoroughly impressed with the transfer and his first two weeks at Chestnut Nursery School. He is talking far more, has made friends and wants to play rather than watch TV when he gets home.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Many thanks for your positive feedback. Your little one has settled in really well into his room and is indeed making some friendships, which is very lovely to see.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I do not believe you can give a higher compliment than to trust someone with your child, with that in mind I don't think there is a higher recommendation I can give than to say that I trust Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park entirely with my son. The staff have been nothing short of fantastic.
It has been a disrupted and difficult year to start nursery but they have been calm, caring and wonderful with my son and incredibly supportive of us as a family. My son absolutely loves going and has developed great bonds with all his key workers and staff. It is such a relief to leave him with people, who I know genuinely care about his needs and development. We as parents always feel well informed about his day and how he is getting on and although handovers are kept short due to Covid-19 restrictions, I know I can ring for a chat anytime to discuss anything I'm worried about. He is provided with great, fresh meals that are healthy for him and he eats a lot! The place is immaculately clean.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We are happy that you have felt reassured over this challenging year. We thank you all for your support and patience with all the changes there have been within the nursery due to COVID.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has attended Chestnut Nursery School & Norwich Research Park since was seventeen months old and she is now four. We have been absolutely delighted with the nursery. Our daughter loves coming to Chestnut Nursery School & Norwich Research Park. The staff are all extremely friendly, approachable
and all know our daughter and take the time to talk to us about her day and how she is getting on. We are also pleased with the variety of food that the children have at meal times. We have been so thrilled with our choice in this nursery, that our ten month old is about to start too.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We are looking forward to your little person joining us very soon.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son's nursery shut during lockdown and I needed to find a new nursery for him. I am so pleased we found Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park. Although I had not been able to see the inside of the nursery due to Covid-19 restrictions, the staff really set me at ease. They have video walk
through's and great communication. I have progress updates on a daily basis with a very accessible online parent portal. The day to day activities are always varied, educational and great fun. My son has been with them now through the whole of the pandemic. They have been so unbelievably helpful and professional and this has been very reassuring in such a unprecedented time. I could not have wished for a more loving and caring setting for him to be in. I would highly recommend them.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

We are so thankful for your lovely feedback, and happy that you have felt reassured through this very difficult and challenging time.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We were very impressed and grateful that the nursery continued to be open during lockdown. Our son has gained so much from his time in the pre-school room so far. We are constantly impressed and pleasantly surprised at the life skills he is learning and he seems so happy to attend.
The staff are very
good, the facilities and meals are excellent and we're very happy that we moved our son here from our previous nursery.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Many thanks for your positive feedback.
We are pleased that you are happy with the service provided here at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park since the beginning of January and in the very short space of time he has developed massively. He has a very strong attachment to myself so I was worried about leaving him, but his 2 wonderful teachers has made him very comfortable
with leaving me to go inside. The staff are warm and very reassuring as I am a worrier. I am very glad that I chose this nursery for my son to attend and I feel very comfortable and rest assured with leaving him there for the time he goes for. Thank you Chestnut Nursery School.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Many thanks for your lovely feedback. I will share your comments with the staff in his room.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Chestnut Norwich Research Park for 3 months now and I could not be more satisfied. The staff are warm, creative and energetic. My daughter loves it and has developed so much in such a short period of time. The outside space is excellent and they use it very well. I appreciate
the independence they are instilling and their approach to behaviour and socialisation. I am very glad my daughter has another year with the team at Chestnut Norwich Research Park.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Many thanks for your lovely feedback. We are happy that your child has developed so much in the short time she has been with us. We look forward to getting her ready for her transition to school.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my children have come to this nursery, I have no faults whatsoever. They’ve always been really good with the kids and parents, very helpful and great communication. Both my boys have had wonderful times here. People are lovely.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you very much for your lovely comments. We are pleased that you have had such a positive experience here at Chestnut NRP.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We absolutely love this nursery from the first day! All staff very nice and friendly, lots of activities for the kids, healthy food and huge outside area. We could not ask for a better nursery! Our little one loves it so much, and he wants to go to the nursery every day, so I think it's the best review!
10-points
to the staff and all the team!
We love you.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am very happy with this nursery - lovely, friendly staff, great facilities, absolutely amazing garden and playing outside area. Forest School was a big bonus as well. My son absolutely loved this nursery. It was such a shame that we had to say goodbye today. Thank you for all the lovely memories.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you for your lovely feedback. Wishing you and your son a very happy transition to reception.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at Chestnut @ Norwich Research Park since January and has had an excellent experience. Nothing has been too much trouble and her food allergies have been dealt with without issue. The staff are a real asset to the nursery and it’s clear that they are really invested in the children’s
happiness and wellbeing. As same sex parents, we feel the nursery and staff are really inclusive and we’ve had a very positive experience in this regard.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you so much for the kind words and lovely review.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter and I moved here from Sussex 14 months ago. I looked at a lot of nurseries in the area but this one stood out. The indoor space was big and well thought out, the play facilities excellent and entertaining, the garden fun and with different areas to play in, the staff extremely friendly and
welcoming and the children happy and full of energy - it was a no brainer!
Throughout our time here I have been overwhelmed by the support. The staff have been wonderful and have become like an extended part of the family. My daughter has flourished and is such a clever little spark. She loves nursery and will be sad to leave (although she is looking forward to school very much too).
Despite us moving away from Norwich, our son started at Chestnut 6 months ago. With our daughter starting school, we have made the difficult decision to move our son nearer but we can't thank the staff enough. He has grown so much in confidence, speech and every developmental stage - THANK YOU CHESTNUT!

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you so much for your lovely positive feedback. We will miss both children very much and wish them every happiness in their new school.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My husband (Gandad) and I have been so reassured and impressed by the nurturing care provided by Chestnut Nursery School. Our grandson is 16 months old. On arrival at nursery staff are so welcoming and positive, sensitively facilitating transition and separation time. Our grandson has formed a lovely
relationship with his key worker. She demonstrates an in-depth understanding of his developmental stage and appropriate play activities are on offer for him. Staff understand the importance of cuddles and face to face interaction with young children. It is fun and an extension of home.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at Chestnut since he was 11 months in January 2019. Staff have always been brilliant with him. He is 19 months now and his class are always doing activities outdoors, which is perfect. Lots of messy play, singing and toys - perfect for toddlers. He has a key worker who spends time with
me at the start and end of his day for a handover. They call me if there have been any issues such as fevers. I feel completely relaxed leaving my son in their care all day.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Many thanks for you positive feedback. We are happy that he is thriving here at Chestnut.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park is an amazing place! The staff are welcoming and attentive and plan fantastic learning opportunities for the children in their care. The learning environment is calm and encourages exploration and creativity. The nursery provides excellent outdoor learning
facilities and children are able to flow freely between indoor and outdoor spaces. The staff interactions with the children are warm and personal, the children clearly feel happy and safe in this setting. Our daughter has recently joined this nursery school and her transition and settling in have been managed very well. Her days at nursery are happy days and she talks lots about what she has been doing. The nursery fees are reasonable and certainly reflect excellent value for money in light of the exceptional provision this setting provides. The meals provided are freshly prepared on-site and the menus are very appealing. I cannot recommend this nursery highly enough!

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Many thanks for your wonderful review. We are very happy that you have found the transition a positive experience.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chestnut is a well managed and welcoming environment for preschool children.
From our first visit, we felt that the nursery was a calm and friendly place.
The facilities are good and we felt at ease with all the staff as soon as we left our daughter.
She has loved every day as there is a variety
of activities, toys and learning equipment provided.
The food is excellent in choice and quality.
We would thoroughly recommend Chestnut nursery as a childcare provider and will be using Holiday Club.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you for you lovely comment.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chestnut Nursery is a fantastic nursery where my son has been thriving since he started last summer. The spaces are amazing and are made of calm, safe and stimulating areas, indoors and outdoors. It's all thoughtfully designed and equipped. The manager and the whole team are always very helpful and
kind, which makes the environment very nurturing and supportive. My son instantly felt at home when he started! He has learnt so much with the activities and interactions of the staff who always come up with fantastic ideas to help children develop intellectually, socially and emotionally. Detailed reports on parentzone and daily feedback on how the day goes really helps as well. Thank you Chestnut!

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you very much for your positive feedback.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very friendly and supportive environment. The rooms are large and light and there is a great outdoor space. My child is extremely happy here and loves coming. Support from staff is second to none and I really appreciate that they look to challenge my child daily. The improvement in vocabulary and grammatical
understand is really noticeable. Food is of a high quality and I like the no sugar policy. Each day there are new activities to challenge the children and I just really like how welcoming everyone is and how quickly they learnt my child's name. It's just a lovely place.

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

We are pleased this has been a positive transition into our nursery.
Thank you for your lovely comments.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 18 month old recently started nursery at Chesnuts for 2 days a week. Before then, she had been at home with me. It is a big step for an 18 month old as they are more aware of what's happening. It was a big step for me too. I could however not be more delighted with the care that both my daughter
and I have received from Chesnuts and more particularly, my daughter's key worker. Nothing is too much trouble. The key worker always has time to talk, delivers detailed observations on "Parent Zone" at least once a week and has made a traumatic process very, very smooth. The key worker has built up such a strong relationship with my daughter so quickly. I feel very lucky that my daughter is being looked after so well by her key worker. The setting of the nursery is also wonderful, with plenty of different outside spaces - great for my little explorer. Could not recommend more highly. Thank you Chesnuts!

Reply from Yvonne Hamilton at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you for your positive feedback and lovely comments.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been completely impressed with Chestnut Nursery. Every member of staff is cheerful, friendly and kind. We have the utmost confidence that the care our son receives is attentive, positive, personalised and professional.


We really enjoy receiving updates and photos through the day via the

ParentZone app. It helps us feel connected to our son and it’s so useful to see how his napping and feeding patterns change.


The facilities are modern, sleek and clean - this was one of the main features we were so impressed with when we toured different nurseries. The space is secure and safe, and very convenient to local employees.


I can’t recommend it highly enough!


Reply from Yvonne Hamilton at Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback


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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.942)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.942) out of 10 for Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 26 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 26 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 4.942 for Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park is calculated as follows: ( (293 Excellents x 5) + (18 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 311 Ratings = 4.942

  • 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 Chestnut Nursery School @ Norwich Research Park is based on 26 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 114 number of registered child places is 22.8, which has been reached with 26 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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Meet the Team (1)

Yvonne

Yvonne Hamilton

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2017

I have been working in childcare since 1989. I left college and started my career as a nanny. Having children of my own made me rethink my childcare career and I decided to become a childminder. When my children began their early learning I went on to further my education and started working in Pre-schools, which is where I worked my way from being a practitioner to becoming a Leader. I now have a BA Degree in Early Years and am an Early Years Professional. I have always had a deep connection with children and feel a great sense of accomplishment in helping children achieve and enjoy their learning journey throughout their early years.


Working with children always gives me so much joy, inspiration and happiness. My vision for our nursery is to enable every child to reach their full potential and to do this I have a strong, highly qualified team with a range of experiences and qualities that create a warm and welcoming nursery environment.