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Small Friends Day Nursery

15 Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2HA
Small Friends Day Nursery Logo
Small Friends Day Nursery logo
Small Friends Day Nursery, Leigh-on-Sea
Small Friends Day Nursery, Leigh-on-Sea
Small Friends Day Nursery, Leigh-on-Sea

Conveniently located in Leigh-on-Sea, Small Friends Day Nursery provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere designed to support your child’s growth, learning, and play. 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 ethos at Small Friends is around the child’s happiness and wellbeing. The four...  

Funding & Fees

Full Day Session £90.30

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.

Contact Small Friends Day Nursery to get a personalised quote:

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery

Opening Schedule

Open all year

Full days available

Yes

Half day sessions offered

Yes

Group/Owner

Person in charge

  • Julie Rayner (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 15

Total Places for Children

  • 60

Age Range

  • from 2 years 0 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Meals Provided

No

Consumables provided

No

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

  • Local car parks near as well as off street parking available.

Small Friends Day Nursery Reviews (66)

9.2

Small Friends Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.2 (9.246) out of 10, based on 9 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Small Friends Day Nursery has 66 reviews.

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Showing 66 reviews matching selected criteria
Review from T W (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
There are not many people I trust to care for my babies, but I highly rate Small Friends, and both my children thrived.
Patient, nurturing and engaging are some of the keywords that jump to mind.

The garden is small, but they make the most of what there is, and the children are always engaged in fun activities.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from N L (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Warm staff and lots of wonderful activities for my child. She is new to the nursery and has really settled in well! They have even gotten her fully potty trained and trying new foods! Absolutely brilliant!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

We appreciate your review; thank you so much for taking the time to write it!

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Review from Kate S (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My little one has grown in confidence since attending Small Friends. She has bonded very well with her key worker, and I am confident in the care they provide. She always comes out smiling when I collect her, and I enjoy the feedback provided at the end of the day.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review!

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Review from A C (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Small Friends has been fantastic. This is our son's first time at a nursery, and he’s been loving it. He looks forward to seeing his teachers and friends every day.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from Laura E (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Wonderful nursery. My daughter settled very quickly and loves her sessions. The staff go above and beyond with the children, and it's great to see all the learning they do on the app! Food is of a great standard, and my daughter is really fond of the onsite cook!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from Rachel C (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My child always goes into nursery happy and comes out smiling and in a good mood. I never have any concerns or issues, and I know that he is in brilliant hands at this nursery. He loves showing me any artwork he's made when I collect him, and he always seems very proud of his work. He also sometimes tells me about his day, and his keyworker will tell me his nap times, what he's eaten and what he's been up to. A lovely nursery that I would highly recommend.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you for your kind review; it is very much appreciated!

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Review from Jade G (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Very happy with the care my daughter receives. She is happy going in and leaving. She loves the food and always talks about what she has eaten that day. She is now starting to talk about friends. I love seeing updates on the app and seeing what she has been doing.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from J J (Mother of Child) published on 23 February 2023 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
My son has been at Small Friends for a year. I can not speak highly enough of this lovely nursery and its staff; they continue to exceed my expectations and have assisted us with some things we have needed to work through. I'm so grateful for the care, support and creative learning they bring to my son's little world.

The communication is brilliant, and more importantly, my little guy has a very happy time there, and I feel content that he's safe and happy. Thank you to the manager and all the team.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from N V (Mother of Child) published on 25 November 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Have been really pleased with Small Friends ever since my children started there over a year ago. My kids run in every time they go, and they come out with smiles on their faces. The outdoor space is minimal, but unfortunately, that is the case with many nurseries in the area. It is a well-run and organised setting, where the kids seem to have lots of fun with varied activities and good learning.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Hi, and thank you for your review; we really appreciate it!

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Review from T A (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
Fantastic nursery.

Really friendly and welcoming. My child has thrived since starting in August 2021. I love how creative the nursery is. My child spends their days learning through play. My child has some health issues, and I have been very impressed at how the nursery has dealt with these.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from Tegwen H (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
My son has been attending Small Friends nursery for the last two months and loves it!
The staff are so smiley and friendly and have put me at ease.
I would recommend this nursery to everyone.
He wasn't keen on his last childminder and would be really upset.

This is a totally different experience, and I feel much less anxious about leaving him.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you so much for your review! We are so happy to hear how well your son has settled into the nursery.

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Review from S R (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
I've had a child at this nursery since 2018, and the standards haven't changed. My son attended until he went to school and loved this nursery. My daughter now attends and has a lovely time here. My main reason for reviewing this is the staff; they're the best! They are warm, welcoming and kind to the children, and that helps my children feel safe and cared for. The entire staff are incredible.

The resources are great, the chef is lovely, and the management team are excellent. The only negative is the lack of outdoor space, and the building itself isn't huge, but being so centrally located to the town means some sacrifices have to be made, and the entire team try to make the space feel bigger than it is.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to write this review; we really appreciate it. Our staff at Small Friends work above and beyond and will be so delighted with your comments. Thank you again!

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Review from Brioni M (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My son just finished at Small friends after nearly 1.5 years. He has loved the nursery from day one and never hesitated to go in each morning. He made lots of friends, and although he is a shy little boy, his confidence has grown so much since starting. He starts in reception next month, and I am confident the transition will be smooth, thanks to the preparation he has gained from the preschool room. He is using the toilet himself, eating really well, trying new foods etc; he plays nicely and shares with other children, his speech and communication are really good, and all these things I put down to him attending Small Friends and the amazing staff there. The only thing I would say is the updates via the app are a bit sporadic; however, I fully support the decision to focus entirely on the children and not be uploading things on the computer or phones. It's only that I like to know what he's been up to, and he doesn't tell me much at the end of each day!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you for your review; we really appreciate it! As a group, we are always trying to improve our communication with our families. We aim to provide high-quality and regular updates through our social media channels, monthly nursery newsletter, bi-monthly group newsletter and via our app....  

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Review from A W (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

We absolutely love Small Friends. We moved to the area in November 2019, and my daughter immediately joined Small Friends after being at home with a nanny prior to this. Since joining, she absolutely excelled in social and communication skills and looks forward to every day at nursery. The move to the pre-school room was made super easy and actually a really exciting time. She loves talking about her friends and 'grown-up friends' at nursery and telling me about everything she gets up to. Any challenging issues are always dealt with, with the utmost professionalism. We will be sad to leave when she joins school but will definitely be back with her baby brother soon.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to write this review; we really appreciate it! We are delighted to hear how well your daughter has developed during her time at nursery!

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Review from Norelle G (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My son had been very anxious starting at nursery at the end of June, and the staff are very patient and accommodating with him. Communication between us and the nursery has been great! Lovely staff and facilities.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from Jon B (Father of Child) published on 28 July 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Small Friends is simply an amazing nursery. I have two boys and have lived in a few locations, so have experience in several nurseries. Small Friends is by far the best I have ever experienced. My son loves going; he gets to play and learn with lots of variety. All the staff are exceptional and unbelievably caring. My son is graduating to start school this year and is very sad to leave. I can't recommend this nursery and all its staff highly enough. Thanks for everything you have done for us!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Review from Lerissa L (Mother of Child) published on 27 July 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Fantastic experience for my son over the last few years. He has come on leaps and bounds with all the help from everyone. He will be sad to be leaving all the teachers and his friends. Thank you all at Small Friends!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you for your review; we really appreciate it!

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Review from L S (Mother of Child) published on 26 July 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Small Friends, led by the manager and a great team, has been fantastic for my 3-year-old. When she joined 6 months ago, she had limited speech and found interacting with other children difficult. But under the manager and her team, she is flourishing and now talks about her day and her friends at nursery. Small Friends has been fantastic for her development.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you so much for your review; we really appreciate it! We are delighted to hear how much your daughter has thrived in her time at our nursery and that she is developing well.

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Review from R E (Mother of Child) published on 24 April 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My second child has now started at Small Friends. I really thought she’d have a tough time leaving me, but she walks in happily every day and is always so happy when I pick her up, telling me about everything she’s been up to. It’s great to see both of my children so happy there, getting on with the staff like they do with family and friends. All I ever wanted from the nursery was for my children to be happy and comfortable with everyone around them, and they definitely have this at Small Friends!

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

Thank you for this review; we really appreciate it!

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Review from J G (Mother of Child) published on 24 April 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
My daughter loves going to nursery and always comes home happy with lots of fun things to tell me.
We particularly like how Small Friends has a strong learning structure for different topics each month whilst having fun.

Overall, a very happy and safe place for my daughter to go.

Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery

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

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Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

News (13) & Events (0)

News
  • Posted: Monday 27 Apr 2026We are delighted to share that The Old Station Nursery has once again been recognised as one of the Top 20 Nursery Groups in the UK by Daynurseries.co.uk for 2026....
  • Posted: Wednesday 08 Apr 2026Our 1-minute school-readiness check-in, created by Early Years (EYFS) professionals, gives you a helpful snapshot of how prepared your child is to start school. Once you’ve completed it, we’ll send...
  • Posted: Wednesday 17 Dec 2025The Old Station Nursery is proud to announce that it has raised £11,971 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity during the first year of its official charity partnership, strengthening connections across...
Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events for Small Friends Day Nursery.

Awards / Recognitions (6)

Meet the Team (1)

Julie Rayner Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2018
Julie Rayner

Hello! I'm Julie and I'm the Nursery Manager here at Small Friends Day Nursery.

Small Friends is a wonderful nursery in the heart of Leigh-on-Sea with a highly qualified, dedicated, and caring staff.

Our friendly team will support and encourage your child to learn, develop and flourish whilst in our care

We look forward to welcoming you to our nursery!

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