Day Nurseries Owned by First Day Nursery Group in Essex

I highly recommend this nursery. The facilities are excellent and the children have great outdoor spaces. The staff are so caring and kind to the children and very supportive with any additional needs your child may have. They really take the time to know your child. Hand overs at the end of the day are really good. Would recommend this nursery to anyone with young children!

Thank you to everyone at Hillside.

The lovely ladies at Hillside have looked after my girls since they each turned 9 months old & they have been absolutely amazing in every way! They've helped my eldest become ready for her first day of school, working on her writing & even some maths! All the staff are always so friendly & my girls absolutely love them to pieces. They take them out to the park or on the train to visit the next town, spend as much time outside in their gardens as they can & my girls always come home telling me about the fun things they've gotten up to! I honestly couldn't ask for better people to look after my children while I'm at work, I know they're in such amazing hands.

The staff have truly become like a second family to us. No matter how big or small our needs may be, they are always understanding, supportive and willing to help. I couldn't recommend this nursery enough!

My son started September 2025, the staff have been fantastic with him, since starting his communication came on in leaps and bounds, I couldn't be more happier. The staff in general are always so friendly. My youngest is due to start in a few weeks and I'm so excited for her. You really get the sense that staff really know and understand the children. I'd rate them a 100 stars if I could and I'd recommend the setting to anyone looking for childcare.

Hillside have been a phenomenal nursery from day one. My daughter has now been there for one year, starting at the age of one and I was personally so nervous to send her to nursery at such a young age. They made the process calm and easy, and my daughter always felt like a priority. They were fantastic with her allergies, always accommodating or if they couldn't she would always have another similar option so she was never left out. They are amazing with bumps, and will always phone if there's an issue (very rarely there has been an accident but toddlers will be toddlers!)

I'm unfortunately having to leave Hillside due to relocating but I am absolutely gutted to be leaving such a wonderful nursery. The staff are attentive and caring, and really put your mind and heart at ease at every drop off. You wouldn't go wrong with this nursery.

I couldn't be happier with this nursery. From the day my son started here he has been supported fully. He was non verbal for a long time and the staff got stuck right in with learning the BSL signs my son would use to communicate. The SENCO have been wonderful, setting up a one page profile and onto a one plan so my son is ready to be supported when he moves onto his next school. Since attending the nursery our son has flourished, he's now talking confidently and socialising well with others. This was such a big concern for us and we are so happy with how helpful the nursery have been. The communication is great, the updates and information constantly shared with parents means I always feel knowledgeable about what's happening every day. At the end of each day the staff let you know in detail how the day has been, from the child's behaviour, to the number of nappy changes and meal intake. Every accident is reported aswell. We feel extremely safe and trusting of this nursery! 10/10.

I can not fault the nursery, it is clean, the staff are amazing with the children and really treat them as their own. They have the most outdoor space I have seen at a nursery I love that the children have free reign of the outdoor space my eldest needed this when he first started as he did not like being dropped off but as soon as they took him outside he was a different child and soon he started to love going to nursery. The nursery is very much learn through play they are taught in such a way that the children do not realise they are actually learning. My youngest asks on a daily basis if he is going to nursery which shows how much he feels happy and safe in the nursery environment. When anyone asks for nursery recommendations i always recommend Hillside as I love it as much as my boys do and did

We love the nursery's ethos of play and exploration, and the overall feel is always happy and nurturing. We looking forward to seeing our daughter thrive even more as she goes up into the next room!

Both of my children currently attend Hillside and we have had a nothing but positive experience. The staff genuinely care about all the children and are kind, caring, knowledgeable and professional. Both of my children are thriving and I couldn't be happier with the progress they have made. Every member of staff is passionate about what they do and they all show great care for the children and wider family. When my daughter started 2 years ago she settled well and has built strong relationship with the people who care for her, she loves going in each day and has thrived since starting. We feel so welcome at the nursery and our both our children love attending. It has made my transition back to work much easier knowing my children are happy and cared for and I cannot thank the nursery enough for the hard work and dedication they show every day.

My daughter has attended this nursery since 2024 and she absolutely loves it. She is able to flourish, have fun and learn in a consistent and loving environment. All staff that have looked after her have always been lovely and engaging and encourages my daughter daily with her leading and development. Couldn't recommend enough!

Since my son started here he learnt alot can not fault the staff been amazing and helpful my boys loves it thier he always goes in happy and comes home happy. It helping him with his talking and interacting with other kids. Can not fault it amazing

Our son has been at First Day Nursery Hillside since he was a baby and he is now getting ready to leave for Primary school. Throughout his time at the nursery we have been extremely happy with the care that he has received and the communications from the nursery have always been good. All the staff that we have had interaction with have been kind, caring and attentive to his needs. We particularly like the free-flow play environment and the fact that he has a lot of outdoor time. The encouragement to enjoy reading has also been a really positive thing for our son and the library that has recently been introduced has made him excited to bring home new books to share very week. The food offered is varied and balanced and updated regularly to encourage the children to try new things. We could not be more pleased with the care our son has received and I would suggest the setting to any parent looking for high quality child care.