Age range, healthy eating and funding...

Cotton Socks accepts babies from 3 months and provides day care for children up to school entry age. We offer full and part time places from as little as two sessions per week.

We have a Breakfast Club, After School Club and a Holiday Club for primary school children. We pick up from Wakering and Barling schools and are able to cover lunch time collections for part timers.

0 - 3 Manager

Ellie Jones is our Manager. Ellie also co-ordinates the 0-3 curriculum and ensures that the rooms run efficiently. This is an important role within the Nursery and allows us to have continuity between the baby and toddler rooms. Ellie works closely with our pre-school supervisor, Sam Kilpatrick, to integrate rising 3 year olds into the pre - school room.

Support for different eating needs

We provide breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea at no extra cost. Food is freshly prepared and carefully planned to be well balanced and nutritious. There is a sample menu on this website.

We cater for food intollerances such as gluten and also provide daily vegetarian options. Many of our customers joined us because of our approach to healthy eating.

Healthy eating

We avoid processed foods & encourage children to eat fresh vegetables & fruit. Some children come to us specifically because we provide the level of support required to convert them to healthy eating. Staff always sit with children at meal times. In the pre school room, children select their food, giving them responsibility for what they eat. They are encouraged to have all the menu items. We are currently applying for the Gold Healthy eating award from Rochford District Council.

Support for healthy eating.....

Staff will sit as long as needed to ensure that your child has every opportunity to finish their food. We work in partnership with you to ensure that you know what progress has been made. We can provide a summary of achievements – this helps on non-nursery days and helps you build on your child’s progress. Please ask about this when you visit.

Pre School Funding...

Our funded pre-school sessions run daily from 8:45am to 11:45am with no additional fees. We also have a lunch club up to 12:45 for £5.50 which is a great way to introduce your child to school lunches. Funding pays for 5 x 2 1/2 hour sessions p/w and begins in the term after your child is 3 yrs old. We can offer double funded sessions for part time children. Funding runs for 38 weeks per year. If you would like funded sessions at other times we may be able to assist- please telephone for more information.

Cotton Socks registration...

Cotton Socks is Ofsted-registered. We fully support the government initiatives on pre school nursery education and give input to the decision-makers at white paper stage. Cotton Socks is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association, the Pre School Learning Alliance and 4Children (Kids Club Network)