Step Start Heybridge

Bentalls Complex, Colchester road, Maldon CM9 4NW
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9.1 24 Reviews
  • Step Start Heybridge, Maldon
Step Start Heybridge, opened in November 2021, has been purposely refurbished to offer the very best childcare and early years education.

The nursery features a well maintained outside area, which includes a trim trail, play train and separate baby garden. Inside, the nursery has spacious modern and homely rooms, including two baby rooms, a toddler room, a preschool room and a sensory room.

Please book a visit to see it for yourself!

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Care Provided by Step Start Heybridge

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Donna Chunn (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 22
  • Total Places for Children
  • 78
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 2 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:00-18:00
    Tuesday 07:00-18:00
    Wednesday 07:00-18:00
    Thursday 07:00-18:00
    Friday 07:00-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for Step Start Heybridge

  • Please contact the nursery for information on their latest fees. 15 and 30 hours funding accepted including the new funding.
  • Parking

  • There are allocated parking spaces for the nursery that are clearly marked.


Step Start Heybridge Reviews (24)

Total of 24, showing 1-20
9.1

Step Start Heybridge has a Review Score of 9.1 (9.107) out of 10, based on 10 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Step Start Heybridge has 24 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 22
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Review from N C (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I couldn't fault the staff; they are lovely and kind and always so positive. They have gotten to know my child really well. Even when he has moved up rooms they still go out their way to say hi to me and my child.
Reasoning for not a 5 star is I feel the nursery could do with some new toys and a
refurb in the garden area. I'd like to see a wider meal choice that he wouldn't necessarily have at home (like he used to before change of provider) (that is no reflection on the nursery staff at all)

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Review from L B (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I can't say enough positive things about Step Start! Our daughter has been at Step Start Heybridge for 1 year and we have seen her grow so much in confidence and her speech has really come on. She has made a little group of friends and literally runs into nursery every morning so excited. Safety is
extremely important to us and the nursery is very secure and the nursery itself is always clean and well maintained.
The staff and management team are all extremely kind and compassionate, and they care for our child like she is one of their own. We have actually moved slightly out of the area but have chosen to keep our daughter at Step Start because she is so happy there :-) I would recommend this nursery to any parent who is looking for a home away from home environment for their child to learn and grow in.

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Review from K M (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has come on leaps and bounds since coming to this nursery, everyone is really kind and want to thank you for looking after my son, my daughter is due to start also in 8 weeks, would recommend this nursery
Thankyou

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Review from Sam H (Father of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little boy has been at the nursery since he was just under 1 (now 3.5), and has a lot of fun in Stepstart. He has made several friends that he plays with each week and has got along well with his supervisors, who feedback to us what they've observed with him regularly. This includes what he's eaten,
how he's done with potty training, his activities and any behaviour that needs addressing or encouraging. They also noted when we told them about foods he doesn't like or had (at the time believed) intolerances to food and amended his meals around this.
Recommend the nursery as a nice place for kids to spend their time.

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Review from Becci S (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at Step Starts since 2022. I am very with happy with how my son is looked after there and how well he has flourished and what he has learnt. The app really settles you as it updated through the day, this means I am constantly in the loop with everything. The staff are great with him
and if something was to happen they communicate with me straight away. My son never cries going in and is always happy when we get home telling me everything he has done, to me this is the best sign that step starts are a great nursery.

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Review from E M (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending for two years and loves it. She's made friends and talks about her key workers all the time. She learns so much on her days there.
Communication is great, we always informed of anything important and kept up to date throughout the day in the app regarding food etc.

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Review from E C (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been coming here for a few months now and at first it was quite a difficult transition because at that point he was only used to being with me, his Dad and occasionally his Nan. He has settled in so well and seems to have so much fun when he's there.
He gets to do so much more than I could
ever do at home with him and there is so much stimulation for him.
The staff are lovely, really kind and friendly and keep me updated regularly via the app.
I would recommend StepStart having now had 2 happy children attend the setting.

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Review from J R (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

Overall, not overly impressed by the nursery. It was OK to start with, but the more busy it got the more issues arose. Internally the staff had a real communication problem, perhaps due to high turnover, which may have led to insufficient training. My toddler was added to social media 3 times, even
after filling out forms and speaking to the nursery etc. I was reassured by the area manager of a new protocol for safeguarding after the 2nd time, but unfortunately, the new manager was unaware of the new protocol after I raised concerns the 3rd time. Obviously, these are big issues which did very much let the nursery down. The facilities seemed good, the app used for communication was very detailed and was good to know day-to-day what your child was up to.

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Review from G K (Father of Child) published on 26 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Step Start in Heybridge since September 2022, and she has thrived and grown in confidence during her time there. In such a short time she settled brilliantly, grown strong bonds with her key person and other staff, and has made a lovely friendship group. We couldn’t be happier
with her development and the care she is given when at Step Start. The nursery is clean, the staff are brilliant and enthusiastic and the well planned out activities the children take part in every day are so fun and imaginative. We love how we are kept up to date with everything she gets up to through the day on the app, the communication from staff is brilliant. The nursery holds ‘Stay and Play’ sessions for special occasions which we love, and our daughter loves when we can come in and get involved!
We will be so sad to leave the nursery in September, but I know my daughter will thrive at big school due to the foundation that Step Start have provided her with.

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Review from Joe R (Father of Child) published on 18 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been going to Step Start Heybridge since it opened. I was very nervous as she did not settle into another nursery.
She has now been going to Step Start Heybridge for years, and I can honestly say she loves it. The staff at Weybridge have helped her grow into what she is today. She
was a lockdown baby, so really struggled, but the team have been incredible.
I can not thank them enough for everything, and when the time comes for my daughter to go to school, I know she will miss the staff and her friends at the nursery.
The flexibility, caring nature of the staff and understanding is second to none.

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Review from Rachel G (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started Start Steps in June 2022 when he was 14 months old. He only goes one day a week, so it did take him a while to settle. But now he loves nursery and often talks about it at home; he says he goes to the nursery to have 'fun' and 'play' - his words. He is always talking about his key person
as he has formed a great bond with her. The nursery keeps you well up to date through the app, which is brilliant. The nursery is always clean and welcoming. I'm so happy that my son feels at home there, and I would definitely recommend the nursery to others.

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Review from C C (Mother of Child) published on 27 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Starting Steps is a breath of fresh air from the nursery my daughter previously attended. The staff have supported her through the change and have encouraged/celebrated her successes. I love being able to see what she gets up to and watching her bond with the staff and her peers grow.
My 8-month-old
son has also started with me returning to work from maternity leave. He has settled so well, and the staff have taken a lot of time to get to know him well. My son can't stop smiling at the staff when I drop him off, and it makes going to work so much easier!

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Review from H M (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy started nursery back in February, and he loves it; he gets on so well with all the staff members. He is always so happy to go in and have a fun-filled day and learn loads. I love that we get updates on the app, and we can see pictures of everything he has been up to that day. I feel at
ease knowing he is taken care of well and professionally, and I happily recommend this nursery to other mums and dads.

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Review from Kyle R (Father of Child) published on 24 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started at Step Start when she was 20 months old in November 2021 when the nursery first opened. Almost a year later, she is still loving it and thriving. When she first started, my wife and I were concerned about how little she spoke, even though she had a fantastic understanding, she didn't
have a wide range of vocabulary. But in just a few short months, she was speaking with full sentences and is now talking nonstop. Step Start has really helped her improve in all areas of her learning and helped her build confidence and social skills. She also loves trying new foods, thanks to the lovely variety of hot meals the nursery offers. The staff are really helpful and have excellent communication. The nursery is always very clean, and they provide fantastic activities for the children. Such a good nursery that provides excellent care.

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Review from Beth H (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Step Start Heybridge is a lovely nursery, and I'm so glad we started our daughter here. She goes in once a week at the moment but has come on heaps and bounds with her confidence. She enjoys her day at Step Start and is always happy to go in. The communication with parents is great, and I always feel
like my daughter is in safe hands with the girls.
I would recommend Step Start to anyone.

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Review from H P (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little girl started Step Start in July 22, and we couldn't be happier with the nursery. When we started, we had a big challenge on our hands - my little girl was at a previous nursery for a very long time, but with the support of the staff, the transition went smoothly for both my little girl and
us as parents. We were kept up to date with what she was doing and how she was settling in. The app put my mind at ease, and whenever a question was asked, it was responded to straight away by the staff. Three months in, my little girl is happy and runs into the nursery every morning, looking forward to spending the day there. They are currently getting her ready for school next year, and she is coming on massively - she comes home and tells us about what she has learnt. I am so glad we chose to put her in Step Start; the staff are brilliant, caring and understanding. They also off a variety of food during the day.

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Review from Emma F (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has settled into the nursery amazingly, along with the help of the lovely setting and the wonderful staff. They have made the transition seamless, and my daughter is very fond of each and every one of them, especially two members of staff. Just three weeks in, it was a joy to see how well the
staff know her and how they can comfort her and accommodate her needs. The app gives such peace of mind, and the photos and updates that you receive make you feel like you are involved with their day and their progress.

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Review from Houston G (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This nursery is, without a doubt, the best I've ever come across. My little girl has only been attending for around two months, and she has done incredibly well with settling in. She comes home every day having learnt something new. The staff are all fantastic, and my daughter regularly talks about
them and gets excited in the mornings to see them (she is a lockdown baby, so this is incredible as she doesn't usually do well with new people).
All-round amazing.

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Review from C A (Mother of Child) published on 13 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending Step Start since April 22 and absolutely loves it.
Like any parent picking a nursery, we were apprehensive as you got to hope your choice is a good one, and you have to trust the staff. From day one, she has loved it and still does. She loves all the staff; they are
all so friendly and caring. We dont have any issues when dropping her off, which for me, is such a good thing. It was a fear of mine as I'd stressed about her. The variety of food is brilliant. The activities she does there are fantastic and so varied; she seems to always enjoy her day. I love the app as I can see what she's had whilst I'm at work. I love it when she's not at nursery and we bump into a member of staff, she loves seeing them, and they are always happy to stop and say hello. The communication from staff is excellent if we need to get hold of them about anything.
Definitely glad we sent our daughter here.

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Review from R H (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have two daughters who attend Step Start, aged 1 and 3.
We joined Step Start from another nursery and have been really impressed with the setting. The staff are helpful, caring and friendly, and both our girls love them.
The nursery is very professional, clean and well equipped.
Communication
is good; we have updates on the app and photos uploaded daily.
We have rated the facilities/outdoor space 4-stars instead of five because the last nursery we attended had a larger garden with green space. Due to the location of Step Start, the outdoor space is more like a playground, but the staff make up for the lack of green space with lots of educational activities outside and equipment like mud kitchens.
Overall, we think that Step Start is a great nursery; we have seen both our daughters develop beautifully whilst attending, and the team members seem to genuinely care about each of them. We highly recommend this nursery.

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Current Review Score: 9.1 (9.107)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.1 (9.107) out of 10 for Step Start Heybridge is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 10 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.5 out of 5 from 9 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 4.630 for Step Start Heybridge is calculated as follows: ( (89 Excellents x 5) + (19 Goods x 4) + (8 Satisfactorys x 3) + (3 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 119 Ratings = 4.63

  • 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 4.477 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Step Start Heybridge is based on 9 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 = 3.9

    • 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 78 number of registered child places is 15.6. 9 Positive Reviews ÷ 15.6 = 0.577

  • 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.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (0)

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Meet the Team (2)

No image found

Donna Chunn

Job Title: Head of Early Years Education

Joined: 2024

No image found

Bethany King

Job Title: Deputy Head of Early Years Education

Joined: 2024

Frequently Asked Questions about Step Start Heybridge

What is the Age Range of Children that Step Start Heybridge accepts?

Step Start Heybridge accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Step Start Heybridge Open?

Step Start Heybridge is open: Monday 07:00-18:00, Tuesday 07:00-18:00, Wednesday 07:00-18:00, Thursday 07:00-18:00, Friday 07:00-18:00.

How many Children does Step Start Heybridge have capacity for?

Step Start Heybridge has capacity for a total of 78 Children.

How far is Step Start Heybridge to the centre of Maldon?

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

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Step Start Heybridge to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Step Start Heybridge has a Platinum Service – more info.