Eastwood Community Early Years

About this day nursery

Eastwood Community Early Years, established in 1980 as a registered charity, provides early education and childcare across three settings in Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, and surrounding areas. The nursery prioritises creating a safe, stimulating, and inclusive learning environment where each child's individual needs are met through high-quality care and a balanced, creative curriculum.

They foster strong relationships with both children and families, using an online platform called Famly to keep parents engaged in their child's development. Play is central to their approach, offering diverse activities that support progress across all learning areas.

The team, comprising over 40 staff members, includes managers with degrees in Education Studies and Early Years, ensuring a high level of expertise. They are committed to ongoing staff training, including an apprenticeship scheme, and all staff are certified in Paediatric First Aid with enhanced DBS checks.

The nursery also focuses on early intervention for special educational needs, utilising tools like the Verbo screening process for language and communication development and collaborating with the Early Help team at Southend-on-Sea City Council.

Our ethos

At Eastwood Community Playgroup Association, we are dedicated to providing a safe, stimulating, and inclusive learning environment where every child is encouraged to reach their full potential through high-quality care and teaching. We believe in thoughtful differentiation to ensure our wide-ranging, balanced, and creative curriculum, alongside enrichment activities, allows all children to thrive. We also make reasonable adjustments for children with disabilities to ensure they can access the curriculum alongside their peers. We recognise each child as a unique individual and tailor their experience to their specific needs, building strong relationships to foster confidence, resilience, and a positive attitude towards learning. Play is fundamental to a child's development and learning journey, and it lies at the core of our mission.

What it's like

Children happily greet visitors and confidently move between the indoor and outdoor areas throughout the session. There is a particular focus on developing children's small-muscle skills to prepare them for early writing. Older children hear and use more complex words, such as 'steep' and 'shelter', providing them with a rich, extended vocabulary.

Pricing & funding

This nursery charges for pre-school sessions in thirty-minute and hourly blocks, with rates categorised by age group from nine months up to four years. They also provide Forest School sessions, a holiday club, and flexible wraparound breakfast and after-school care with various pick-up times.