About Cherry Tree Nursery
Watch a short video to find out about Cherry Tree Nursery.
View video transcript (PDF 317KB).
Our aim
At Cherry Tree, we believe that children learn best through playing and doing. We aim to provide a rich, stimulating environment with caring, nurturing and supportive staff, where children’s welfare is of paramount importance.
Our aim at Cherry Tree Nursery is to value all children and empower them to reach their full potential.
We believe that the family are the child’s first and most important carers and educators. We have an open-door policy involving parents and carers at every opportunity.
We believe that your child’s happiness and success will benefit greatly from a good partnership between home, nursery and other childcare professionals.
We provide high-quality early education and care for children aged from 3 months to 5 years.
Our environment
The nursery consists mainly of 2 main rooms.
Turtle room
The Turtle room is for children aged from 3 months to 2 years. It's a large open-plan room where we operate an adult-to-child ratio of 1:3.
Children are encouraged to access all areas of the room, including:
- messy and creative play
- physical activities
- story areas
We have a safe cosy space for younger babies to play in and a sleep area.
Dolphin room
The Dolphin room is for children aged 2 years to 5 years. It's a large open-plan room with many areas for play of all kinds such as construction, creative and design, soft play and stories.
We have a cosy/sleep corner for rest and a sensory room.
The learning environment is designed to help children feel secure and curious about the environment and play opportunities.
Our wonderful staff encourage children to make choices independently and initiate their own learning with close support and guidance.
Outside area
We're extremely proud of our outside spaces and the opportunities that the children have to explore our natural outdoor environment.
We encourage the children to climb trees, run through the willow tunnels, tend to our vegetable patches and play in the ‘mud kitchen’.
We have:
- a sandpit house
- bikes
- ride-on/push-along toys
- balls
- water play
We also have other experiences that we plan weekly.
The outside spaces are accessed straight from the playrooms. We have undercover areas straight from the building which allows play outside in rainy weather with waterproof clothing.
We benefit from being in the Children's Centre as we have access to groups and resources, as well as the café and park.
Our staff
Our staff are skilled in meeting children's individual needs in secure and stimulating environments designed to be bright, warm and nurturing.
Our success is due to the outstanding practice of our well-qualified and experienced staff.
Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Our staff are very experienced in SEND and have supported children with needs ranging from communication, global delay to physical disabilities.
We have a sensory room within our nursery which is a quiet, cosy and relaxing space where all children especially those with special educational needs and disabilities can explore their senses through the toys and equipment.
We have a SENCO who works very closely with key workers and parents to support children with SEND. We also work very closely with speech and language therapists and BHISS (Brighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service) .
Inclusion
We celebrate all of the languages spoken at the nursery by the children, staff and parents.
We access services such as EMAS (Ethnic Minority Achievement Service) to support us with some children if needed.
We also welcome families to share stories and songs in their home languages.
Food
We provide healthy snacks and a breakfast that consists of healthy cereal and toast. Milk and water are provided at snack and breakfast times. Fresh drinking water is available at all times.
Breakfasts are included in the fees. Lunches and teas are provided by an award-winning local supplier. They get delivered twice daily to ensure freshness. They can be purchased in addition to the below fees.
Flexible, emergency and occasional childcare
Ad-hoc sessions may be booked subject to availability for children already attending the nursery.
We'll consider each request for occasional or emergency childcare on an individual basis, subject to availability.
Transport Options
We're located in Hollingdean Children's Centre, right by Hollingdean Park.
We're on the number 50 bus route which stops right outside the nursery.
There's free on-street parking outside the nursery on Brentwood Road.
Opening Times
We're open 51 weeks of the year.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Funded places, session times and fees
There are now more ways than ever to reduce your childcare costs. You can benefit from a wide range of funding options depending on your circumstances and the age of your children. To find out more visit Childcare Choices.
We welcome children with funded places including all 3 and 4-year-olds.
Two-year-olds with parents in receipt of eligible benefits or tax credits are entitled to funded places, find out if you're eligible and apply online.
Three and four-year-olds whose parents work can get 30 hours of free childcare, check your eligibility.
Nursery fees from 1 April 2023
- £65.30 - per standard full day. 8am to 5:45pm, includes breakfast, lunch and tea
- £32.65 - for a morning session. 8am to 12:45pm, includes breakfast and lunch
- £32.65 - for an afternoon session. 1pm to 5:45pm, includes tea
- £6.00 - hourly rate
Nappies, wipes and nappy cream are not included in the cost. Lunch and tea (optional for 47.5-week funded-only sessions) can be purchased for £2.65 per meal.
Funded sessions
At Cherry Tree Nursery we offer funded sessions for either the 51 weeks we're open or funded-only sessions for 47.5 weeks of the year with pre-set non-attendance weeks which coincide with Christmas and school half terms.
If you want your child to have their EYFE-funded hours only, these stand-alone sessions can be taken as follows:
EYFE funding for 2-year-olds
- 12 hours per week. Either 3 half days (9am to 1pm or 1pm to 5pm) or 1 day (9am to 5pm) and 1 half day, 47.5 weeks per year
EYFE for 3 or 4 years olds
- universal offer - 12 hours per week. Either 3 half days (9am to 1pm or 1pm to 5pm) or 1 day (9am to 5pm) and 1 half day, 47.5 weeks per year
- extended offer - 24 hours per week using a combination of 9am to 1pm, 1pm to 5pm, or 9am to 1pm sessions, 47.5 weeks per year
If your child is having EYFE hours and additional non-funded hours, the funded hours can be taken over 51 weeks with:
- 11.17 hours for funded 2-year-olds and universal 3 and 4-year-olds’s or
- 22.35 hours for extended 3 and 4-year-olds per week
The additional hours will be charged at £6.00 per hour.
Ending your place
If you wish to end your place here at Cherry Tree, we require one month's notice in writing to withdraw a child from their place.
Ofsted
Ofsted URN: EY284309
Latest Inspection:01/04/2016 (Early Years Register) Inspection Judgement: Outstanding
Registration Date: 07/09/2004
Contact Cherry Tree Nursery
We're located at:
Cherry Tree Nursery
Hollingdean Children Centre
Brentwood Road
Hollingdean
Brighton
BN1 7DY
To contact us:
Find out more about children's centre nurseries.