St Nicholas Day Nursery

Bennetts End House, Eastwick Road, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4JQ
Review Us
10 104 Reviews
  • St Nicholas Day Nursery, Hemel Hempstead
Occupying a converted manor house, St Nicholas Day Nursery is one of the oldest nurseries in the country. The home from home nursery was refurbished in 2020 providing a new, modern feel inside their converted grade 2 listed manor house setting. 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.

Inside, there are four rooms carefully designed with age-appropriate resources to aid the learning and development of your little one.

The homely setting is surrounded by extensive and secure grounds offering all age groups a vast area for physical activities. The garden, which was redesigned and refurbished in 2017, includes a mini woodland nature walk and growing area in order to give children the opportunity to further explore and extend their play.

The nursery place strong importance on outdoor learning and the children engage in regular forestry sessions throughout the week in order to explore and discover the outside world. Each age group also has their own garden space to explore.

St Nicholas is central to local schools and over the past 50 years have built strong links so that the children’s transition from nursery to school is as easy and smooth as possible – for both the children and parents!
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Frankie Bignall (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 17

Total Places for Children

  • 75

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • Full Day Session £86.60


    We're making childcare more accessible to families:


    * No meal, consumable or enhancement charges
    * Part & fully funded places available

  • 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

  • There is a small parking area available for parents and visitors.

St Nicholas Day Nursery Reviews (104)

10

St Nicholas Day Nursery has a Review Score of 10 (9.960) out of 10, based on 27 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time St Nicholas Day Nursery has 104 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
  • 104
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Reviewer Connection to St Nicholas Day Nursery
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Review from Dani W (Mother of Child) published on 12 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
From the offset, the ladies at St Nicholas have been amazing! Prior to sending my little boy, the acting manager took the time to discuss all my worries and concerns, and from that conversation on, I knew we were in good hands. Not only has he come on in development and grown in confidence, but he
is unbelievably happy and that, to me, is what it's all about. I can't praise the staff enough! They are always happy to answer questions over the phone; they have kept him safe in regards to the ongoing Covid situation, and the support I've felt as a parent has been greatly appreciated. Wonderful nursery setting and fantastic staff, thank you so much.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at St Nicholas Day Nursery
Thank you for such wonderful feedback and for taking the time to write this review! Our staff are constantly working above and beyond, and we are delighted that your son has settled well!
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Review from Poorani U (Mother of Child) published on 12 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Wonderful nursery with very caring and understanding staff. They have looked after my son and helped him settle in. He loves his key worker and regularly mentions her. The staff are always friendly and give us a very good handover when we come to pick him up. Thank you.
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at St Nicholas Day Nursery
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for such positive feedback!
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Review from Rebecca W (Mother of Child) published on 12 November 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
St Nicholas has really stood out to me as a fantastic nursery with the amazing, caring staff in a beautiful setting. I have been so pleased with how fast my daughter has settled in. She is a clingy daughter, but the staff have managed to really welcome her that she now waves when I leave.
The garden
is amazing; it's so nice to know she is getting a lot of outdoor space. They offer her a huge variety of food and activities. But most of all, the staff are so caring towards her, and she talks about them at home as her friends!
Reply from Jo Bamforth, Marketing Manager at St Nicholas Day Nursery
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for such positive feedback! We take pride in our nurseries outdoor learning spaces! Our staff will be delighted to hear these comments.
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Review from Eloise S (Mother of Child) published on 10 May 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of our children have gone to St Nicholas, and we have always been really pleased with the whole experience.
The grounds are just wonderful and have recently been developed to make them even better.
The best thing about the nursery though is the staff. They are all really friendly and helpful,
and we have great feedback from them each day.
We feel the nursery is very well led by the manager and her team, and she has made many fantastic positive changes including the online observations. The manager has always been approachable and has always been a friendly face at the nursery, going above and beyond to help us out.
Both of our boys have only ever come home from nursery happy and tired from a great day. What more could we want as parents?
Highly recommend.
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Review from Sara M (Mother of Child) published on 10 March 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is excellent and has been for the past 15 months since we joined. The staff are fantastic and my daughter loves it. The garden is fab and Woodland Wanderers is such a bonus. I will be so sad when my daughter goes on to school.
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Review from Charleen P (Mother of Child) published on 26 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son really enjoys going to St Nicholas Nursery. The practitioners are great with him, and I feel they all help with his development and well being during his time there.
The outdoor space is great; my son loves to explore and play indoors and out, the setting is perfect for this.
We are also provided
with regular updates on early years development, which helps us guide our son in a collaborative way in these crucial first years.


I highly recommend St Nicholas to any parents in the area looking for early years child care.

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Review from Katy R (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son goes to the nursery, and he absolutely loves it. All the staff are so friendly, and I know he is well looked after.
My son comes home very happy and loves to tell me what he has been doing, and always coming home with lots of artwork.
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Review from Claire L (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I had no hesitation in sending my second daughter to St Nicholas after my first daughter went there from 11-months-old right up until it was time to leave to start school. My daughter there now is 2-years-old and has been at St Nicholas since she was one. She absolutely loves it there and is learning
so much. The care and attention from the staff are amazing, and I love seeing updates from the app on what she has eaten in the day and what she has been up to. The garden is just beautiful and perfect for my daughter, who loves being outdoors. I also love the regular updates on Facebook and Instagram about what all the children have been doing and learning about each week. All the staff are so friendly and welcoming, and I have complete trust that my child is in the best care.
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Review from Charlotte D (Mother of Child) published on 25 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Highly recommend this nursery to anyone whos struggling, a very supportive environment, and the meals are very nutritious considering, my child's very fussy, he actually enjoys the food given. They always like to keep you updated on their progress too, which I like.
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Review from S C (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my daughters absolutely love nursery. My youngest, as a lockdown baby, has settled in so well considering her interaction with other people has been limited. My eldest absolutely thrives on the routine from preschool and is definitely preparing for ‘big school’. I can’t thank the staff enough.
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Review from Joanne B (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely love this nursery; the staff are so kind and friendly. They know our little one so well. They always provide wonderful activities as well as the care and attention these little ones need and deserve. Always get a detailed report at the end of the day. Highly recommended.
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Review from E B (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
It’s an amazing place. My son and my daughter loves this place. They wake up in the morning first things wanting to go there. Never heard of any problems. We are really the happy kids are happy. Would recommend it to anyone.
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Review from Amy B (Mother of Child) published on 23 February 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Brilliant nursery and staff. My child always comes home happy and well-fed. He's learning so much and is always doing fun activities at nursery.


During covid, the staff have been practising safe rules and regulations and are following the guidelines to provide a safe environment for my child.

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Review from Fiona B (Grandmother of Child) published on 5 January 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Outstanding school. My granddaughter was there 5 years ago and my grandson is there to this day. Lovely friendly staff who the kids love. Highly recommend. They truly love our kids and ours love them. Children encouraged to be themselves.
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Review from Elena A (Mother of Child) published on 5 December 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter started nursery at one year and now has been there for three years. We are very grateful. She attends full time. As well, we have another daughter who is starting reception. Excellent teachers, wonderful garden. We recommend the nursery for the people who want their kids to explore and learn
more about creativity, preparing for school.
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Review from Danielle P (Mother of Child) published on 26 November 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My daughter started at St Nicholas just before her 1st birthday, she’s now nearly 2, and she absolutely loves it. We used to have tears at the gate when she first started, and it wasn’t long before she started to happily walk in and says bye to me! She really looks forward to it. The staff are also
great and keep us updated with lots of information about her day and all the changes around Covid they’ve had to make.
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Review from G B (Mother of Child) published on 21 January 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has really come along since coming to this nursery. She has excelled. Really, really pleased I chose this nursery.
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Review from M N (Mother of Child) published on 10 December 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I have been extremely impressed with the care and professionalism of staff at St Nicholas! They have supported my son really well with his toilet training, and occasionally behavioural issues. The outdoor space is excellent, and we have been really impressed, particularly with his 'woodland wanderers'
outdoor sessions. Communication is good, however, there isn't access to a day to day online portal of activities. Overall, we are happy with the nursery.
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Review from R P (Mother of Child) published on 10 December 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing place. My son loves it. Wakes up every morning wanting to go. Would recommend to anyone.
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Review from N M (Mother of Child) published on 10 December 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending St Nicholas Nursery since he was 1 year old. He is now in preschool and always loves going to nursery. Every day he is learning new things and he loves Woodland Wanderers. The staff at St Nicholas are excellent. They always give good feedback about his day. The staff are so
helpful with any requests - and have been very good ensuring specific food requirements are met. My second little boy will be going to St Nicholas when I go back to work. I couldn't recommend the nursery more. 10 stars!
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Current Review Score: 10.0 (9.960)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (9.960) out of 10 for St Nicholas Day Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 27 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 27 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 4.960 for St Nicholas Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (312 Excellents x 5) + (11 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 324 Ratings = 4.96
  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 St Nicholas Day Nursery is based on 27 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 75 number of registered child places is 15, which has been reached with 27 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 (8)

Meet the Team (1)

Frankie

Frankie

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2007

Qualifications: NVQ3, DSL, Paediatric First Aid, Food Hygiene

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