Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery

It is really an amazing place for kids to grow and develop. All staff are incredibly kind and professional, and visibly love what they do. There are so many wonderful activities for kids to participate in, such as dance classes, yoga, forest school, walking around the campus in Wivenhoe park. The rooms are diverse, welcoming and inclusive, with many kids from families of students and staff at the university of Essex. It is a wonderful place which I absolutely recommend.

My son, who is now 18 months old, has been at this nursery since he was 9 months old, and he has also been attending a second nursery (due to scheduling constraints!) since 12 months. He gets on well at both, but he is far more cheerful and enthusiastic about attending Wivenhoe Park. He has a lovely bond with the staff, and we are so pleased to read his daily reports from his key person Lodie - she puts such personal details into them and we can definitely tell she's writing about our boy! He surprises us with new skills, words and behaviours every day which we haven't taught him so he must have picked them up at nursery! We're hoping to move him fully to Wivenhoe Park in due course, and can't wait to see him thrive even more!

My daughter loves going to Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery. The staff are brilliant and really go the extra mile to make it a fun and educational environment. The outside space is great and it's lovely to see her playing in the garden when I pick her up in summer. I would highly recommend choosing this nursery.

Receiving the daily report is very valuable in our opinion as it helps us understand her progress and follow what has been encouraged there too. We find the staff very helpful and her key person/persons in particular very caring and loving. And that for sure has helped her spend her hours happily at the nursery away from parents and home. Thank you for the love and support you sre giving to our children.

We have two children at Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery and couldn't be happier with the care they receive. Our eldest has come on leaps and bounds since starting 2 and a half years ago, thanks to the amazing opportunities the children are offered, the dedication of the staff, and the cooperation and relationship they've built with our family. We are always astonished at how every staff member seems to know the name and parents of every child! The relationship our daughter has formed with each of her key workers has been beautiful. They've helped us reach milestones and overcome hurdles, and are always just as excited as us when we achieve one of these. They've made the transition from one room to the next really smooth, and she's settled quickly each time. We were so excited for our youngest to start a few months ago as we are confident he'll have a similar experience, and can't wait to see what his years at the nursery bring.

Our little girl has been attending WPDN for a year and we could not have chosen a better place! The staff are always caring, patient, and organize the most exciting and fun activities for the children (both indoors and outside in the garden). Our daughter has truly flourished since starting at WPDN. She has become more sociable and confident, and has learned so many new things. When we drop her off she smiles while waving goodbye, and we know she is in great hands.

A fantastic place.

My child has been going to this nursery for just over a year and he loves it. The staff are all so caring, friendly and kind and the environment is lovely and stimulating for the children. They do lots of fun activities and have great indoor and outdoor spaces.

This nursery is just the best!! My daughter went from the age 2 and my son now goes, his 3 but started at the age of 2 also. Firstly the staff and manager Dawn are amazing!! The staff are attentive to the children, kind, caring and always happy. The children are always doing so much, they take them for walks, lots of outside play, they have an excellent forest school. They taught my daughter how to write her name before she started school. They really prepared her for school which was great so the transition was easy. The food is amazing such variety and all home cooked. The nursery is always clean. This is defo the best nursery ever. My daughter and son both went to different nurseries before this one and nothing compares as too how good it is. Not forgetting the amazing outside space and also the surrounding grounds at the uni.

My little one has been attending Wivenhoe Day Park nursery since he was 9 months old and I could not have wished for a better place for him to be. Over the last months I've seen my child thrive under the care and attention of the nursery staff. The staff are so kind, experienced and generous - just what I'd hope for when leaving a big part of the care of my little on in their hands. I also feel very well informed on what happens at the nursery, for instance the activities they do, and I like the transparency they offer. Also - my child follows a vegetarian diet which has been fully accommodated and my child loves their meals and gets seconds. A great place to develop alongside peers - and it's a home away from home!

Our daughter started at this nursery when she was just 9 months old and is now 3, approaching 4. In that time, the care, support and development she has received has been nothing short of exceptional.

As she grew, it became clear she needed extra understanding and support, and throughout her journey towards an autism diagnosis, the nursery has been outstanding. They have been patient, proactive, and genuinely caring every step of the way. She has been supported as an individual, encouraged to develop at her own pace, and treated with warmth, dignity and respect.

The staff are incredible across the board. From reception, to the room teams, through to management, everyone is approachable, knowledgeable and clearly invested in the children they care for. Communication has always been clear and supportive, and we've always felt listened to and included as parents.

Most importantly, our daughter feels safe, understood and happy there - and that means everything to us.

WPDN is a wonderful, nurturing and positive learning environment for my children and others. My first child attended from 2020 (from 10 months) just after the peak of the pandemic, and the team have been nothing but amazing, even through adverse times, showing excellent communication on all areas.

My daughter has been through each stage, now school, and she loved going to nursery everyday and we have been fully supported with everything, consistency with potty training, proactive support for some social and emotional needs from the SENCO Teresa. There is amazing SEN support that is fully inclusive. My son is also having a wonderful experience.

We have consistently been impressed across all areas such as the app updates, termly reports and excellent engagement from the finance and the admin team with support navigating the early years funding options.

They nursery go above and beyond what they need to and I am so grateful for this positive and safe experience with both children.

Our son has been attending this nursery for nearly two years now and we are very happy with the care and support we have received. Our daughter is due to start soon and we are very happy we chose this nursery for our children. The staff have shown so much dedication and kindness towards our children and family we cannot fault them! Thank you.

On another note, another thing I love asides from the team in buttercup is genuinely the experience from even walking in. The security on the door knowing my child is protected and the friendly faces when you enter the building makes a huge difference. The environment is clean and colourful, perfect for little ones to enjoy. All round 10/10 for everyone in the team.

We couldn't be happier with this nursery. Our daughter, now 4, has been with them since she was just 3 months old, and the care, attention, and support she receives have been exceptional. When searching for a nursery, we visited around 10, but chose this one because the children genuinely looked the happiest.

We love the international environment, the bright, purpose-built spaces, and the continuity of staff - many full-time staff work 40 hours across four days, so we usually hear from the same person about how our daughter's day has gone. She especially enjoys Forest School sessions and walks on the university campus, which make learning fun and engaging. The administrative side is excellent too, with prompt emails and clear updates.

We wholeheartedly recommend this nursery to any parent looking for a nurturing, professional, and inspiring environment.

I cannot recommend Wivenhoe Park highly enough. The care, understanding and dedication shown to my child, who has SEN challenges, has been exceptional.

The staff, and particularly the SENCO and his key worker, have gone above and beyond to truly understand my child's needs and to create the right environment for him to thrive. They have supported not only his development, but also me as a parent, working with care, patience and compassion. At times, the level of commitment and advocacy shown has been incredibly moving.

Over the past year I have seen such meaningful progress in my child's speech, confidence, learning and readiness for school, and a great deal of this is down to the passion and expertise of the staff.

Beyond this, the nursery itself is a wonderful setting, with a beautiful outdoor space and forest school experiences that have allowed my child to learn through nature, exploration and play. I will be very sad when he leaves, but I feel incredibly grateful to everyone.

Our child is flourishing at WPDN, from before they could walk and talk, to todays chatty toddler. Each key worker has formed positive relationships and encouraged personal, educational and social growth from fun and play. Staff are genuine and caring.

We have had a wonderful experience with this nursery and couldn't recommend it highly enough. Our son attended until August 2025 and received exceptional care that supported his confidence, independence, and school readiness. The forest school sessions were a real highlight, offering thoughtful outdoor learning in the university grounds.

Our nearly three-year-old daughter currently attends and absolutely loves it. She is happy, settled, and excited to go each day. The nurturing environment, consistent care, and wide range of activities-especially dancing with Charlotte-have greatly supported her development.

Communication with parents is excellent, with daily updates via the app, photos, videos, and detailed termly reports. The nursery is warm, welcoming, and run by a genuinely caring team. We feel very lucky to have found such a supportive and inspiring nursery.

Thank you to everyone at the nursery for all you do!

When I first looked into nurseries for my eldest I was a bit apprehensive about placing him somewhere. However very quickly I realised placing him at Wivenhoe Park day nursery was the best choice I could have made. He loved every minute of being there and now my youngest is enjoying the nursery also.

My son is under the amazing care of Gemma whom has a beautiful presence and it is so clear to see how much she both cares for and adores the children in her room. Every day I am met with lots of enthusiasm around the day my child has had, their achievements and Gemma communicates outstandingly when it comes to any 'toddler issues' that may have occurred during the day. Likewise Sadaat has shown so much kindness to my son and it's so lovely to see how all of the staff really understand him and his character, and enjoy seeing him progress as a little person and enjoy play.

The nursery has fantastic outdoor settings which is essential for two boys that love exploring outdoors.