Small Friends Day Nursery

15 Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2HA
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9.9 64 Reviews
  • 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 large nursery rooms are complemented by a nursery garden and a beach house, which is dedicated to investigation and creativity through small parts play.

The home from home setting means that relationships play an important role at Small Friends; between the team and the children as well as between the children and their friends. They have four large playrooms, a garden and a beach house for the children to play and explore.

The children often visit the Old Leigh Beach, to further enrich their learning experiences. These outings offer the children a unique opportunity for exploration, sensory play, and fostering a love for the outdoors. It also gives the children the chance to further their social skills, build confidence, and encourage curiosity as they discover the natural world.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

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

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.

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 (64)

9.9

Small Friends Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.872) out of 10, based on 15 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Small Friends Day Nursery has 64 reviews.

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Review from S W (Mother of Child) published on 14 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at the nursery for her 2nd year and absolutely loves it. I would recommend it to friends and family. The only improvement I would suggest would be communication could be improved as a No1, and No2, the meals could improve a little. But I would still recommend.
Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for your review! 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,…read more
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Review from Stacey B (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Very happy with my child's progression. Haven't been able to go inside due to 'Covid', so looking forward to learning more about her nursery on parents evening. She's always happy when she's had her nursery time.
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 thrilled to hear that your child has settled well!
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Review from Shanice C (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been going to Small Friends Day Nursery for a little over a year now, and she absolutely loves it! I can’t fault them one bit. My daughter has made friends, loves her teachers, and is developing beautifully.
They really cater to each child’s unique needs with ease.
I couldn’t wish
for a better environment for my little one.
Thanks, Small Friends!
Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for your lovely review; we appreciate it! We are delighted to hear that your daughter is flourishing in her nursery!
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Review from Hayley C (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have a very happy 3-year-old who looks forward to going to pre-school and has formed great relationships with staff and other children. Lovely staff and great management - food by the chef is also very much enjoyed!
Reply from Beth Lewendon, Marketing Coordinator at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your positive comments! We are pleased to hear your child has settled well - and we will pass your feedback on to the teams!
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Review from Emma M (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have sent two children to Small Friends and never had any issues. The staff have always been welcoming, friendly and to the best of my knowledge always put the care and happiness of the children first. They care greatly for their personal development and offer good communication as to how they are
getting on.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your positive feedback!
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Review from Toni M (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter has a speech delay, and the team have been excellent at supporting her to speak and communicate via language use. She has settled incredibly quickly and is always very excited to go to nursery. She has progressed very quickly in many areas since she has been attending.
The team have done
very well despite the pressures of Covid, and we are very pleased with the nursery.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your positive feedback! We are thrilled that your daughter has been progressing well!
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Review from Amanda B (Mother of Child) published on 12 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter started at Small Friends in January 2021 and attends full-time. She has created such special bonds with the staff there. Her development has come such a long way, and all the staff at Small Friends have been instrumental in this. We receive great updates at the end of each day regarding
her behaviour, interactions, what she has learnt and eaten throughout the day. Any additional things we have asked for support on, such as developing our daughter's speech or beginning potty trained, Small Friends have been so willing and helpful to guide us through. This is truly a special nursery with amazing staff, and we feel very lucky it has been part of our daughter's journey.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review and for such positive comments! We are delighted that your daughter has progressed and developed well at the nursery; our staff work above…read more
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Review from Kay L (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Small Friends Day Nursery on a full-time basis for a number of months and absolutely loves it. The staff are all friendly and professional. Would definitely recommend it to prospective parents.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for your positive comments and for taking the time to write this review; we appreciate it! We are thrilled that your son is having a wonderful time at his nursery!
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Review from Caroline W (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I couldn't recommend Small Friends enough. After needing to find another nursery quite urgently after my son wasn't settling in another setting, they couldn't have been more accommodating and helpful. The manager and her team really must have a magic touch as, within weeks, he was happily skipping through
the door, excited to go in.
My son goes in happy and comes out excited to tell you all about his day, as a parent, what more can you ask for.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for taking the time to write a review; we appreciate such positive feedback! We are delighted that your son is incredibly happy at his nursery and is progressing well.
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Review from Rebecca K (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has settled wonderfully at Small Friends; as a result of a couple of moves in a short period of time, this was his third nursery in the space of a few months, and it is by far the happiest he has been. He is always happy to arrive every morning, and the staff clearly adore him and really take
the time to give us meaningful feedback at the end of each day when we collect him. We really could not be happier.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at Small Friends Day Nursery
Thank you for such wonderful comments and for taking the time to write this review! We are delighted that your son has settled in well and is enjoying his time at the nursery.
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Review from Emma B (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has recently started at Small Friends nursery, and we are absolutely thrilled. The staff are extremely welcoming and have been really positive with communicating both with my son and also with me too. I feel very lucky that he is able to attend such a safe and happy environment and am very grateful
to all the staff at Small Friends for settling him into the nursery and also keeping me reassured too. Thank you so much to all of you.
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Review from Rachel C (Mother of Child) published on 6 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Small Friends is simply amazing! From friendly, informative staff, to an amazing nursery setting for our 4-year-old. Small Friends have been caring for our son for 2-years now, and I couldn’t praise them enough. From interaction to teaching, to play, and communicating to parents via the app. Our little
boy has thrived since attending. He loves his nursery, he loves his friends, and he loves the nursery staff.
The ever-changing topics of fun learning each week are on point with his interests. The staff are conscientious, considerate and caring. They really do go above and beyond.
I couldn’t recommend this nursery setting enough. Our little one will be leaving in September for big school, and it will be a tough goodbye on his last day.
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Review from Katherine M (Mother of Child) published on 30 April 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been with the preschool for a number of months now. The staff have been patient with my son during his settling time and he has grown in such confidence since he joined. We now regularly have to play preschool at home, being his favourite member of staff which is a testament to how much he likes
them. It’s lovely to hear him come home with his tales of the day. We hear about a mix of crafts, outdoor play, songs, stories and caterpillar breeding. The preschool’s provision of lunch has also introduced him to an even wider variety of foods. All staff are friendly, welcoming and make you very comfortable with leaving your child in their care. Staff have also been supportive with development changes, such as potty training, giving useful suggestions and providing consistency with approaches at home.
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Review from Holly T (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I simply cannot fault Small Friends; the staff are so wonderful and caring - it’s also a very small setting, so the children get lots of 1-1 time with their key person. My daughter has thrived since she’s been there and is so excited every day to go - she has a strong bond with her key person, and I
have no doubt in my mind all the staff really adore all the children in their care. My daughter always struggled to settle anywhere without me, and the staff were so patient and worked with me to help her; I was shocked with how quickly she settled in and that’s down to them. Thank you, Small Friends!
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Review from Caroline H (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Wonderful nursery with caring staff, great food and varied facilities that keep my son entertained and stimulated. Feel very safe and excellent protocols regarding COVID. My son is really happy at Small Friends.
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Review from Jo S (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Cannot recommend it enough. The staff are great, especially the manager, who literally goes above and beyond to help where she can, and my child key worker is amazing; all of the staff are if I’m honest!
Would recommend!
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Review from Katie P (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I really recommend this nursery. My son has settled in so good and has brought him out of his shell. He loves his nursery teachers, and it makes me feel at ease knowing he asks to go to school to see his teachers and he is saying new words and sentences.
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Review from Gemma H (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at Small Friends for 2-years now and is very content there. She has never not wanted to attend and always arrives with a hop and skip.
We chose Small Friends as it looked clean, organised and the children looked happy. The staff are helpful and friendly, and she only has good words
to say about them. She has also made some lovely friends there.
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Review from Holly K (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started Small Friends just before the first lockdown in 2020, and all of the staff were very supportive during this time. He's now been with Small Friends for nearly a year and has flourished. Their cleanliness in response to Covid has been exceptional, and I really had no concerns about him
being back and socialising with other children as I knew that every measure was being taken to protect them.


The nursery does lots of activities on a daily basis with the children - nearly every evening we get a new painting or craft that he's done that day, and he is always happy when we arrive to collect him. He loves talking about the friends he's made and refers to the staff within this too, we hear lots of stories from him about what he has done that day - and we get sent updates regularly via the app the nursery uses. Despite the garden space being small (which was my initial concern), they still get time in the fresh air, and I don't think they even notice the size!

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Review from Tara M (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
As the mother of boy/girl twins with multiple food allergies, I used to spend up to 2-hours each evening preparing three meals and two snacks per child for the next day because they couldn't eat the pre-made food at their former nursery. Also, I had to purchase the food plan as a part of my contract
and couldn't opt out! Switching the twins to Small Friends with an on-site kitchen means the nursery preps fresh meals and snacks each day, which are specially tailored for the twin's food allergies. I have clawed back 2 hours each evening that I can now spend playing with my children instead of in the kitchen! The nursery has also been on top of administering medicines in relation to any reactions and keeping me well informed. Nursery reinforces the messages they learn at home about which foods they can't eat and offer substitutions for celebration foods during Halloween and Christmas. Such care and attention to detail, with the children's well-being at the very centre of their focus!
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.872)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.872) out of 10 for Small Friends Day Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 15 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. 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:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.872 for Small Friends Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (159 Excellents x 5) + (17 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 179 Ratings = 4.872
  2. 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 Small Friends Day Nursery 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:

    1. 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
    2. 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 60 number of registered child places is 12, which has been reached with 15 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (5)

Meet the Team (1)

Julie

Julie Rayner

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2018

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!

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Small Friends Day Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Small Friends Day Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.