YMCA Essex
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Nursery

Our nursery is situated in the heart of Chelmsford city, only a five minute walk from Chelmsford train station, which provides a short commute in to London.

We believe that children thrive in an environment that
values their own uniqueness, while providing support and opportunities to grow emotionally, socially and creatively. By building on each child’s strengths, interests and curiosities, we guide each child to explore the world around them as well as develop new abilities and form close relationships.

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Our Rooms

Our dedicated, qualified educators provide exceptional care for your baby in a bright, spacious room equipped with a variety of sensory resources. We closely follow your baby’s home routine to ensure a smooth transition to our nursery. Throughout the day, our educators engage your baby with singing, storytelling, and puppet shows, fostering communication development and capturing their interest.

Our room features different levels of furniture to support your child as they begin to cruise, along with plenty of open space for crawling and movement development. For nap times, we have a separate sleep room with soothing music, calming lights, and cosy beds, creating a serene atmosphere that promotes restful sleep and supports your baby’s growth and development.

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Our toddlers are full of energy and curiosity, so we’ve designed our room to captivate and engage our little explorers.

We prioritise offering numerous learning opportunities through open-ended resources, easily accessible provisions, and captivating activities. By fostering independence, we encourage toddlers to explore, engage, and discover new learning experiences on their own terms

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At our preschool, we implement a comprehensive school readiness program designed to ease the transition from nursery to formal schooling. Our goal is to empower your child to feel confident in making independent choices, voicing their needs, practicing good hygiene, fostering positive relationships, and expressing their emotions openly.

Our primary objective is to equip children with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in the broader community, ensuring they develop into well-rounded individuals prepared for the challenges of the outside world.

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Many families are eligible for government-funded childcare, which can significantly reduce the cost of nursery care while supporting children’s early learning and development.
YMCA Essex is a registered Ofsted Early Years provider and is approved to offer government-funded childcare places. This page explains the funded childcare options available, how funded hours can be used at our nursery, and any optional chargeable extras, so parents can make an informed choice.
15 Hours Funded Childcare
The government provides 15 hours of funded early education per week for 38 weeks of the year (up to 570 hours per year).
This funding is available for:
  • Eligible 2-year-olds (subject to meeting government eligibility criteria)
  • All 3 and 4-year-olds, regardless of family income, from the term after their third birthday
Funded childcare must be taken with a government-approved provider. YMCA Essex is proud to offer funded childcare places as part of this entitlement.
30 Hours Funded Childcare
The 30 hours funded childcare entitlement provides 30 hours of funded early education per week for 38 weeks of the year (up to 1,140 hours per year) for eligible working families.
From September 2025, eligible children from 9 months old will be able to access this entitlement.
Parents must meet the government’s working and income criteria and reconfirm their eligibility every three months.
YMCA Essex is pleased to offer 30 hours funded childcare for eligible families, and our team will support you in planning how these hours can be used across the nursery week.
How Funded Hours Can Be Used at Our Nursery
Funded childcare hours can be accessed during the following session times:
  • Full Day: 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Morning Session: 9:00am – 12:00pm
  • Afternoon Session: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
  • School Day: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Funded hours can be used:
  • Just in term time, or
  • Stretched across the full year
They are also flexible across the sessions above, depending on your child’s attendance pattern and your funding entitlement. Our nursery team will be assist you in discussing the options and planning the most suitable attendance pattern for your child.
Chargeable Extras
Government funding covers the cost of childcare and early education only. In line with Department for Education guidance, the following optional chargeable extras apply:
Meals
If your child attends over lunch or tea times, we ask for a voluntary contribution of £2.50 per meal to cover food costs.
There is no requirement for parents to purchase meals as a condition of accessing funded childcare. If parents opt out, they must provide all meals and snacks for their child, in accordance with our food policy.
Checking Eligibility and Applying for Funding
Parents are responsible for checking and maintaining their eligibility for funded childcare.
Eligibility checks and applications can be completed at:
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Once confirmed, your eligibility code must be shared with the nursery so that funded hours can be applied correctly.
Our Commitment to Transparency
  • All funded childcare and chargeable extras are clearly published and kept up to date
  • Funded places are offered in line with government and local authority guidance
  • There are no mandatory charges attached to funded childcare
If you have any questions about funded childcare or would like support planning your child’s sessions, please speak to a member of the nursery team — we are always happy to help.
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Nursery Gallery

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Sample Food Menu

Snack

Lunch

Tea

No classes scheduled for Saturday

No classes scheduled for Sunday

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FAQs

The nursery is open 51 weeks of the year. We do not open on Bank Holidays. The sessions listed are the standard hours offered at our nursery. Should you need a different combination of hours, please discuss your requirements with a member of the management team. Requirements will be discussed with the Head of Childcare and Youth Services on an individual basis.

Monday to Friday

7.30am – 6.00pm

Full day

8.00am – 6.00pm

Morning half-day

8.00am – 1.00pm

Afternoon half-day

1.00pm – 6.00pm

Full Day (8am-6pm)

Babies: £75.90

Toddler: £75.90

Preschool: £70.40

Early drop off (7.30am-8am)

£7

Half Day (8am-1pm or 1pm 6pm)

Babies: £37.95

Toddler: £37.95

Preschool: £35.20

Lunch Session (Midday-1pm)

£10

Ad hoc hours

Babies: £13

Toddler: £13

Preschool: £13

The nursery fees are reviewed on an annual basis.

Many families are eligible for government-funded childcare, which can significantly reduce the cost of nursery care while supporting children’s early learning and development.
YMCA Essex is a registered Ofsted Early Years provider and is approved to offer government-funded childcare places. This page explains the funded childcare options available, how funded hours can be used at our nursery, and any optional chargeable extras, so parents can make an informed choice.
15 Hours Funded Childcare
The government provides 15 hours of funded early education per week for 38 weeks of the year (up to 570 hours per year).
This funding is available for:
  • Eligible 2-year-olds (subject to meeting government eligibility criteria)
  • All 3 and 4-year-olds, regardless of family income, from the term after their third birthday
Funded childcare must be taken with a government-approved provider. YMCA Essex is proud to offer funded childcare places as part of this entitlement.
30 Hours Funded Childcare
The 30 hours funded childcare entitlement provides 30 hours of funded early education per week for 38 weeks of the year (up to 1,140 hours per year) for eligible working families.
From September 2025, eligible children from 9 months old will be able to access this entitlement.
Parents must meet the government’s working and income criteria and reconfirm their eligibility every three months.
YMCA Essex is pleased to offer 30 hours funded childcare for eligible families, and our team will support you in planning how these hours can be used across the nursery week.
How Funded Hours Can Be Used at Our Nursery
Funded childcare hours can be accessed during the following session times:
  • Full Day: 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Morning Session: 9:00am – 12:00pm
  • Afternoon Session: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
  • School Day: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Funded hours can be used:
  • Just in term time, or
  • Stretched across the full year
They are also flexible across the sessions above, depending on your child’s attendance pattern and your funding entitlement. Our nursery team will be assist you in discussing the options and planning the most suitable attendance pattern for your child.
Chargeable Extras
Government funding covers the cost of childcare and early education only. In line with Department for Education guidance, the following optional chargeable extras apply:
Meals
If your child attends over lunch or tea times, we ask for a voluntary contribution of £2.50 per meal to cover food costs.
There is no requirement for parents to purchase meals as a condition of accessing funded childcare. If parents opt out, they must provide all meals and snacks for their child, in accordance with our food policy.
Checking Eligibility and Applying for Funding
Parents are responsible for checking and maintaining their eligibility for funded childcare.
Eligibility checks and applications can be completed at:
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Once confirmed, your eligibility code must be shared with the nursery so that funded hours can be applied correctly.
Our Commitment to Transparency
  • All funded childcare and chargeable extras are clearly published and kept up to date
  • Funded places are offered in line with government and local authority guidance
  • There are no mandatory charges attached to funded childcare
If you have any questions about funded childcare or would like support planning your child’s sessions, please speak to a member of the nursery team — we are always happy to help.

Complete a Registration Form:

• Provide all the required information about your child, contact details and required days.

Space Confirmation:

• The nursery manager will confirm if a space is available for your child.

Fees and Deposit:

  • Upon confirmation, a registration fee of £25 is due.
  • Additionally, a two-week deposit must be paidto secure your child’s spot.

To secure a place with us at Chelmsford YMCA Nursery, a registration fee of £25 is required. This will cover the administration and all the settling in sessions that we provide for you and your child.

Many families are eligible for government-funded childcare support, which can provide significant financial assistance.
If you need help with childcare costs, it’s essential to explore your options and see what support you can receive. To find out more about the available options, including how much you could be entitled to, visit ChildcareChoices.gov.uk. This website provides comprehensive information on various forms of childcare support, so make sure to check it out and take advantage of the help available to you.

10% discount for NHS and full-time workers (5 full days)*

Once your child’s place has been confirmed, you will be invited to the nursery for a minimum of three settling-in sessions with your child. These sessions will start with a 30-minute visit and gradually increase to a 2-hour visit. During this time, you will also complete important paperwork about your child and
their routine.

We have a purpose-built garden designed to support the physical development and cultural capital of all our young individuals.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, crafted to meet the unique needs of children from birth to the end
of their reception year in primary school.

Central to this curriculum is the philosophy of ‘learning through play,’ ensuring engaging and effective education tailored to each child’s development journey.

3 prime areas of learning and development…

  1. Communication and languageListening, attention, understanding and speaking.
  2. Physical developmentThis area involves moving and handling, health and self-care.
  3. Personal, social and emotional development This area involves making relationships self-confidence and self-awareness, as well as managing feelings and behaviour.

To ensure your child has everything they need for a comfortable and enjoyable experience at nursery, please provide the following items:

  • Warm coat, hat, and gloves for the winter months
  • Raincoat and wellies for wet weather
  • Sun hat for the warmer months (available for purchaseat the office if preferred)
  • Spare clothes suitable for the current seasonClothes should be practical, comfortable, and easy for your child to manage, ensuring they are suitable for all weather conditions. Footwear must be appropriate for physical activities— please avoid flip-flops or open-toed shoes. To prevent items from getting lost, ensure all belongings are clearly marked with your child’s name. For safety reasons, we request that children do not wear jewelry to nursery, except for cultural or religious reasons. Since we encourage both indoor and outdoor play, it is essential that your child is suitably dressed for all nursery activities.

All parents and carers are required to use the main door for entry and exit. This door remains locked and entry is granted only by a staff member. For the safety of all children, no one is allowed into the nursery unless recognised by our staff.

We require to see ID of anyone authorised to collect your child and will use a family password system for additional security. Please ensure we are updated with any changes regarding your child or family circumstances.

As part of our security policy, we kindly ask that parents do not open the door for others, even if they are familiar with them. This measure is in place to ensure the safety and security of all children and staff.