SRC Community Nursery

My daughter (now 3.5) has attended SRC for more than 18 months and absolutely loves it. The staff provide great care for the children and my daughter has progressed leaps and bounds since starting. Most staff have been at the nursery for many years and provide a warm and nurturing environment. There is a real family feel and all the staff know all the children and there is also the interaction between the older and younger children which I love. In the preschool room, they always focus on topics they are working on, for example, recently they learnt about volcanos, and have been growing their own plants, but the child-led approach means they follow my daughter's lead and develop what she is interested in. The nursery is run by a management committee of parents so they have a real say. It is also a not-for-profit, which means the fees are much more affordable than other nurseries in the area. SRC is a really special place and we feel very lucky to have found it.

We really love SRC and feel very fortunate that our son goes there. He started this time last year and the nursery has come to feel like an extended part of our family. It really feels like the staff deeply care for him and we have a great relationship with his key worker and the other staff. They really advocate for him. He really enjoys going and there's a wonderfully happy and joyful vibe among the babies and children who are there. The nursery is always very balanced in working out how to manage the complexities of juggling home and work life if he's ever unwell.

My older daughter has been through all the age group rooms at SRC and it's brilliant. Her little sister will start there too when she's old enough. All the children seem to get on well, the staff manage their behaviour well and they're all progressing well while obviously really enjoying their time there. They've recently started more outings too. SRC is a lot cheaper than others in the area due to it being run not-for-profit, which also means all parents can raise anything they want at management committee meetings. We'll miss all the staff a lot when the kids are old enough to leave and go to school!

The nursery provides a very loving and child-centred environment and my daughter’s confidence and abilities have developed in leaps and bounds since she’s been there. The staff are incredibly responsive to children’s needs, most recently helping us with toilet training and supporting my daughter’s adjustment to the arrival of her younger sibling. Many of the staff have been there for a long time, which means they have strong relationships with children and parents. The nursery really feels like part of our family.

The staff implements new initiatives on a fairly regular basis and his positive development is very evident.

In the toddler room, they have implemented a new observation weekly newsletter instead of individual observations. My child was hardly featured with one side profile and one back of the head. I expressed my concerns about the lack of updates, and pictures even when my child goes full-time. Met with the new nursery manager who implemented this new system to be less taxing to the staff as they are short-staffed. This is another concern the ratio of staff per no. of child is not where it should be by the sounds of it. Was told could not guarantee every child would be featured every week. This is disappointing to hear with no compromise. Compared to all my friends' nurseries they get weekly observations, some even get a personalised scrapbook. It does not take long to ensure every child is pictured out of the hours in the day in a week. The lack of time/staff is an excuse. You get what you pay for. This is a charity nursery with little to no outings. Since 18 months - 3 years, child has been on two.

My toddler has been at SRC since August 2022 and loves it there. She is now just over two years old and happily walks to nursery each day. The staff - practitioners and management - are all a delight and it really feels like a home for home for our daughter. We have always felt incredibly reassured that our daughter is being well cared for. There are a wide range of different activities, equipment and some local trips out. The communication and support as we have navigated some tricky stages (i.e. changes in naps, potty training, behaviour and the arrival of a sibling) has been great. The food is cooked on site and is varied. The nursery invites families in for various events which has always been lovely. We couldn't be happier with our experience at SRC and have reserved a place for our second daughter.

My daughter joined when she was 18 months old. I just started back at work too after the pandemic the whole world went through. I was looking for a placement for two months as we got a place closer to our home. The minute we walked in to view the nursery, the warmth, smiles and hugs we got from the children there was second to none. My toddler is still there which means I am travelling further, however our daughter is happy playing with her friends, doing arts and crafts, singing songs, playing dress up, reading books, outdoors activities and us as parents feel secure when we drop her off. My favourite part of the day is when I pick my daughter up and she is still as happy as when she was dropped off and I get to converse with the keyworkers how her day was. My daughter went from the baby room to the toddler and after three weeks she has also managed to get hold on the potty training. This non-profit organisation is like an extended family!

This nursery has an extremely warm and loving environment. It was clear from our first visit that the children's wellbeing is their first consideration, and the staff are creative and caring when it comes to looking after our son. I have recommended SRC to friends and neighbours who have been grateful and their experience mirrors ours. It really is a hidden gem.

I'm with SRC since 2016. I can't imagine my children going to different nursery. The staff working there is amazing, with lots of teachers being there for years, decades, including Manager. Both my kids love this place, my older one who is at school now, he is always happy to go back there to pick up his little sister because he has of lots of happy memories and can see his teachers. My little girl loves going there, she can be creative with her work, especially art, she loves teachers, they do lots of singing and they prepare kids for primary school very well. Love this and can recommend for every parent and every child!

Our toddler loves this nursery and comes home every day with new songs, skills and non-stop chat about friends and staff. We chose SRC because its warmth, child-centred ethos and community focus made it stand out from others. They have a really genuine care for the children, and we have been impressed by the creativity of their activities as well as their support and wisdom in dealing with challenging behaviours and potty training along the way. We get regular updates with photos/videos, details of meals and naps etc. The community ethos is clear and as parents we have enjoyed being involved, whether through open management meetings or through parties, Christmas concerts and trips out. Its non-profit status makes it brilliant value for money, and the care and commitment of its staff is obvious.

My son spent a very happy year at SRC before starting reception, and my daughter currently attends the nursery. We have found it a wonderful environment for both of our children. Their specific interests have been nurtured by the caring and experienced staff, and they have both got so much out of their time at SRC.

What a lovely, caring environment. I've had two kids attend and have had such a great experience with friendly staff welcoming them at the door and getting them involved in lots of fun educational tasks. Compared to friends' experiences, I'd say SRC is so warm and dedicated to the kids

My children have had a wonderful experience at SRC. The practitioners are experienced and extremely caring, which made settling in very easy. The staff have a very open and communicative style and really want to work with parents to get the best experience for their children. The facilities are great, with lots of group work focused around books and nature. There is regular communication with parents and regular reports.