Nursery Advice
Claim Your Nursery

Wakoos Centre4Children

Ofsted: Good
(Oct 2022)
·
4.6(11 parent reviews) ·Station Road, Billingshurst, RH14 9RY · West Sussex
Number of places
60 places
Age range
0–5 yrs
Last inspected
Oct 2022
Local authority
West Sussex

About this day nursery

Wakoos Centre4Children operates a day nursery, preschool, breakfast club, after-school club, and holiday club across two locations in Billingshurst and Petworth, West Sussex. Founded in 1988 by two staff members from Weald School to provide childcare during working hours, Wakoos originally stood for Weald Activities for Kids Out of School.

In 2008, the Billingshurst setting moved to a custom-built facility shared with the Billingshurst Family and Children Centre. This expansion allows Wakoos to accommodate up to 80 children in its secure indoor and outdoor nursery areas and an additional 20 in the After School Club.

In 2016, a second nursery opened in Petworth, co-located with Petworth Primary School. Currently, Wakoos serves nearly 300 families in Billingshurst, Petworth, and surrounding regions.

Both nurseries cater to children aged 3 months to 11 years, offering 15 and 30-hour funded places. Each nursery is overseen by a manager and deputies, with direction from a volunteer trustee committee.

Wakoos is a registered charity, allowing it to maintain competitive and affordable fees, with any surplus revenue reinvested into facility improvements. The organisation is Ofsted registered, and its reports are publicly available.

Staff focus on nurturing children's emotional, social, physical, creative, and intellectual development, fostering confidence and self-esteem through stimulating activities. They also aid parents in achieving work-life balance through flexible hours and support with funding information.

What it's like

Children are welcomed warmly and happily engage in activities. Babies explore sensory activities and the natural outdoor environment. Older children enjoy physical play, trips to the park and local shops, and learn about safety during outings.

Charity-runBreakfast clubAfter school clubHoliday clubTwo locations

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

Key facts

Opening hours

Open 07:30am - 18:00pm, Monday - Friday, 51 weeks of the year, Closed between Christmas and New Year and on Bank Holidays

Age range

3 months - 11 years old

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2010

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Wakoos Centre4Children

Last inspected 6 October 2022 · Pippa Clark

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are welcomed warmly and happily engage in activities. Babies explore sensory activities and the natural outdoor environment. Older children enjoy physical play, trips to the park and local shops, and learn about safety during outings.

Inspector highlights

  • The provider has made some changes to the management of the setting that are having a positive impact.
  • Staff attend regular training to update their knowledge and understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
  • Staff support opportunities to enhance the experiences available to children, especially outdoor play for those with limited outdoor experiences.
  • The manager has a clear intent for what she wants children to learn and supports staff in developing their skills.
  • Children's personal development is supported, with learning about oral health and handwashing practices.

Areas to develop

  • 1Develop staff's understanding of the curriculum intent to ensure it supports all children's needs and promotes their learning
  • 2improve how staff are deployed to ensure children's development is encouraged to fully maximise their learning.
Inspection #10254579 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff attend regular training to update their knowledge and understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are well-trained to support children with speech and language difficulties while waiting for other professionals input. The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND.

Outdoor space

Children benefit from fresh air and daily exercise, with access to a large outdoor area freely available throughout the day. They also access the adjacent park at planned times in the week. Babies explore the natural environment outside, and older children practice riding scooters, climbing frames, and swinging on tyres.

Parent Reviews of Wakoos Centre4Children

4.6
(11)
Nathan Baker
a year ago

Fantastic community nursery. An extremely welcoming and comfortable place which both of my children really enjoy attending. The staff are fantastic and continuously update the ParentZone App with every detail, including nappies, sleeps, activities/learning, meals and include lots of photos and videos. Regardless of the season there is always lots of outdoor play and my children always come home with different things they’ve made. The staff and leadership team have been really helpful in supporting our children’s development and are always available to assist when needed.

Read on Google
Reviews Reviews
a year ago

I would think very carefully before placing your child in this nursery. I would not recommend Wakoos due to serious concerns about professionalism, fairness, and adherence to policies. Our experience has been deeply disappointing, with multiple contract breaches, clear bias, and instances of discrimination that should not be tolerated in any childcare setting. One of the most concerning issues is the clear conflict of interest in how the nursery is run. Family members of staff are given preferential treatment, creating an unfair and unprofessional environment. This favoritism affects everything from how children are treated to how complaints are handled. Instead of prioritizing the well-being of all children equally, decisions seem to be influenced by personal relationships, leading to unfair outcomes. Additionally, there have been instances of bias and discrimination in the treatment of families. Certain parents and children receive different levels of care and attention, raising serious concerns about how the nursery operates. When concerns were raised, instead of addressing them professionally, management dismissed or ignored complaints, further proving the lack of accountability. Contract breaches have also been a major issue. Agreed-upon terms regarding care, fees, and policies have not been upheld, with last-minute changes that leave parents in difficult situations. Rather than following clear guidelines, the nursery seems to make decisions on a case-by-case basis, benefiting some while disadvantaging others. For a place responsible for children’s early development, fairness and professionalism should be non-negotiable. Unfortunately, Wakoos falls short in these areas, making it a place I cannot trust or recommend to other parents. Wakoos has shown clear favoritism and unprofessionalism, with Steve (chairman), Kellie and Sarah (manager/deputy) engaging in bias, discrimination, and contract breaches, creating an unfair and untrustworthy environment for families.

Read on Google
Ben Grimshaw
3 years ago

Excellent nursery, great staff. My child loves it

Read on Google
Maureen Green
6 years ago

Brilliant nursery and kind careing motivated staff

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Wakoos Centre4Children. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: April 2011

  • October 2022Good
  • March 2018Good
  • July 2017Good
  • October 2015Good
  • July 2013Good
  • April 2011Good

Frequently asked about Wakoos Centre4Children

Nearby day nurseries in Billingshurst

Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Wakoos Centre4Children.

Are you the owner of this nursery? Claim this listing to manage photos, hours and contact details.

Claim listing

Share this nursery

Send to a partner, friend or family member.

This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more