Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Braiswick Primary School, Apprentice Drive, Colchester CO4 5QJ
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9.8 60 Reviews
  • Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester, Colchester
Located within the grounds of Braiswick Primary School, Sunhill Colchester offers a safe, secure and happy environment for children, enabling them to develop at their own pace, whilst having fun, making friends and becoming a confident and independent little person. The nursery offers exceptional care, enriched by unique learning opportunities for your child. One such experience is child-friendly cooking classes, helping to equip children with valuable skills and deeper knowledge of the cooking process.

The nursery offers 3 age-appropriate rooms which have been carefully planned to help children's learning and development as they grow. Each room has individual access to a free flow area which consists of a big sandpit, a music and water wall, and a newly planted sensory garden for the children to manage and investigate.

The children are also able to explore the nursery's big open space which consists of climbing apparatus, a mud kitchen, an investigation area for the children to look for and identify bugs and a bug hotel.

As the nursery is conveniently located on school grounds, the children are able to access some of the school's facilities such as Forest school and the use of the hall for yoga sessions.

The location also aids children's progression to 'big school' whether they will attend Braiswick Primary School or elsewhere. Being located in a school setting helps the children to become familiar with a school environment.

Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester proudly offers an exclusive 5% discount on fees for those working for the police and fire services. Please contact the nursery for more information.

Care Provided by Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Elaine Sim (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 13
  • Total Places for Children
  • 65
  • 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

Funding & Fees Guide for Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

  • AM/PM Session £53.80
    Full Day Session £88.90


  • A £100 non-refundable registration fee is required to secure a place. Exact days of attendance should be confirmed no later than 6 weeks prior to the child’s start date. Any changes are subject to availability.


  • Parking
  • The nursery has 10 car parking spaces in front of the nursery for parents and visitors.


Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester Reviews (60)

Total of 60, showing 21-40
9.8

Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.831) out of 10, based on 15 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester has 60 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My sons are both at this nursery, and I can only say a big thank you to everyone! They are very well cared for, the staff are patient and kind, and they feel loved. They have learned lots of new things since they started attending, and they are sad to go home when I come to collect them. I recommend
this nursery wholeheartedly.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you so much for your review, we really appreciate it!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at this nursery for 1.5 years now, and we have seen her blossom, both socially and in her hard skills. She has picked up words, ways of communicating, and a fantastic attitude from her time there, and she very obviously enjoys being with all of the carers and staff there.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for your review; we really appreciate it!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Always made myself and my child feel welcome and very accommodating when it is needed, especially if I have needed extra hours; they try their best to do this. The staff clearly care a lot about the children! And my son has built some amazing relationships with them. He’s come on leaps and bounds since
being at Sunhill. Thank you, everyone!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for your review; we really appreciate it!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter joined Sunhill in Feb 2022 and she is very happy to go to nursery every day. The staff in sunbeam really makes the settling in as smooth as possible. If needed, cuddles are provided. Since joining, my daughter has become a confident and independent girl. Thank you, sunbeam team.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for taking the time to write this review; we really appreciate it!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great nursery that I would definitely recommend.
The staff are kind and supportive and really tuned into the individual children and their needs and personalities.
They do loads of different activities with plenty of time outside. My daughter is in preschool, and they’ve been learning early-stage
phonics in a way that has really captured her interest and made it fun.
The nursery has recently moved to cater for all children on-site with no packed lunches allowed. I was worried about this to start with (fussy eater), but it’s actually been great for my daughter, who now tries and eats more food than she did just a month or two ago.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for taking the time to write this review; we really appreciate it!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very nice staff and management. Keeps us well informed of our little ones' progress. They are very caring and considerate as well. My little one loves going to this nursery. Lots of places to explore and run around, plenty of activities, etc. I would definitely recommend this nursery to my friends.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All members of staff, including the management team, have been amazing in helping my son to grow in confidence, encouraging him to make new friends, explore and to try new things. They continue to be a great support throughout his time in the setting.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Our nursery teams work above and beyond, so we are delighted to hear that your son has developed well, thanks to their support! Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your positive comments!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am very please with the development of my child since he started attending preschool in Sunhill Nursery.
The staff, and the whole team, in general, are very friendly and also glad about everything surrounding the growth and development of my child.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

We appreciate you taking the time to write this review and for your positive feedback!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My son was never keen on attending nursery, and it was a struggle to get him through the door, but since starting preschool, he waves me goodbye and off he goes.
He is very eager to tell me what he has learnt that day, whether it be letters, numbers or shapes.
He has a great relationship with all
staff members.

Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your comments; we really appreciate it! We are delighted to hear that your son has settled well!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

You need to re-consider your communications with parents on matters around pay. It is not ideal that you threaten parents that their child may lose its place or will not be accepted to the building if the parent has missed a payment by a day by mistake. You should pick up the phone or send a reminder
and try to have a conversation. Please check the way you issue invoices as it is not easy to follow changes to the invoices mid-month and it is confusing.

Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for your feedback.
Please be rest assured that we have made note of your concerns over invoicing and have passed them on to management. We are always aiming to improve our communication with parents so your feedback is much appreciated. We do issue reminders where payment is overdue before any further action is taken, but we will ensure that these reminders are more thorough to avoid any confusion moving forward.
Thank you again for taking the time to write a review.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great after school club. Friendly staff. Lots of different activities. My son has bonded with all staff, but especially one member. My son has had some emotional difficulties, and staff have been very supportive and taken him aside to talk to. I appreciate this a great deal and feel happy he is getting
the best care at the after school club.

Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for taking the time to write this review, as well as the positive comments! We are delighted that your son has bonded so well with our nursery staff and that he feels well supported in the environment.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very pleased with the service overall and their dedication to providing the highest quality care to those in their care. The nursery has gone above and beyond for my son to ensure he is getting the right support and encouraged to grow.

Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester

Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for such positive feedback! We are delighted to hear your son is making fantastic progress.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter is in her first month of being at Sunhill Nursery and has settled very quickly. I can already see an improvement in her social skills; she is very well cared for and is extremely happy when she comes out of the nursery. The staff are really caring and are very good at settling children
who are clingy (like my daughter). The nursery environment is very clean. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Generally very happy with the care and attention to the children's happiness and development. No concerns about sending my son in each morning, and management have always been very efficient and flexible in their provision of services. Keep up the good work!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Even during the pandemic, my son has attended nursery and till date they are maintaining high standards in all aspects to keep children in a safe and healthy environment. Nursery got top notch teachers / key workers for every individual child.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A lovely nursery with kind staff. My daughter is happy with going to nursery. She loves being out in the garden and always says how she has lots to play with. She tells me her cooked lunch was delicious every day she attends (she's a very fussy eater at home).
Staff are helpful and understanding.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The team at Sunhill have been really supportive and engaged part of my child's development and care. The building and grounds are well maintained and modern. The children enjoy being there. They are a good nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my children have been to this nursery and I’ve been so impressed with all of the staff and the effort they put in with the children. The staff are friendly and both of my children loved attending!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My twins have attended Sunhill Nursery Colchester for the last two years and they absolutely love it. The care and support they receive from the staff and management is brilliant. Since attending, the confidence and development in my twins has grown immensely. They have made many friends too. My twins
always leave with a happy face and tell me all the activities they have done when it is time to collect them, sometimes they wish to stay longer! I will certainly be looking into Sunhill Nursery Colchester breakfast and holiday clubs when my twins start school in September.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter's nursery is so lovely they look after her very well and they see how she can improve her learning.

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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.831)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.831) out of 10 for Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 15 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 15 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 4.831 for Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester is calculated as follows: ( (154 Excellents x 5) + (19 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 178 Ratings = 4.831

  • 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 Sunhill Day Nursery Colchester is based on 15 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 65 number of registered child places is 13, which has been reached with 15 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 (1)

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Meet the Team (1)

Elaine

Elaine

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2017

Qualifications: Level 3