A very warm welcome to The Co-operative Childcare.

Here you will find lots of general information that should be useful in getting a feel for the setting, however every child is individual and you will undoubtedly have lots of questions that relate specifically to your child’s needs, interests and their development. A tour of our quality facilities would be highly recommended in order to fully appreciate how the nursery operates and to see first hand the care and attention that each child receives. To arrange a tour, simply use the contact details on this page or pop in to the nursery itself.

At The Co-operative Childcare we never underestimate how difficult a decision it is to leave your child in the care of others and our aim is to ensure that you have all the information you need to make this very important decision.



“Children are well cared for. They come into nursery enthusiastically, are settled and relaxed in the company of staff and their peers. Staff are aware of children's likes and dislikes and mostly recognise each child's stage of development. The staff show warmth and affection towards the children in their care and show interest in what children have to say and are responsive to their needs”

Latest Inspection Date 31/7/2009. To view the full report click here


The manager Lisa Taylor, has been at Cainscross nursery for over 6 years and has a total of 13 years experience in childcare overall. The team of 19 colleagues has a total of over 100 years combined experience and hold many NVQ qualifications. All colleagues have an enhanced CRB check updated every three years and first aid, food hygiene and child protection training which is also updated every 3 years.


The nursery is situated in a purpose built building, all on one level and have 2 baby rooms for children aged 3 months to 2 years old, a room for our 2-3 year olds and one for our 3-5 year olds. Our 2-3 year olds and 3-5 year olds rooms are next door to each other, separated by a sliding partition, which allows them to share the environment giving the children lots of space and free flow access to the outdoor environment. Our over 2 year olds have a joint bathroom which also contains a nappy changing area and is easily accessible from both home rooms, allowing the children to gain independence. Our baby rooms have a joint bathroom accessible from both rooms and a shared kitchen area for the preparation of babies’ bottles and snacks. We also have an additional room, our community room that provides extra space for activities and is utilised by all age groups in the nursery. There is also a large reception area with secure doors, an office and a purpose built kitchen.


The nursery has a large enclosed garden with separate areas for under and over 2 year olds which contain a range of surfaces from soft play surface, to paving slabs, bark and grass. Within the garden the children are able to plant and grow vegetables and herbs in purpose built beds and explore and bug hunt in the nature area. The children are also able to experience a range of physical activities from racing around on the cars and bikes to climbing, jumping and balancing. There are 2 large sand pits, water trays as well an art easel giving the children plenty of opportunity to make marks and be creative. Fruit trees have been planted to provide natural shade and fruit to eat, the first of which should be ready this year.


During the year there are many extra activities that take place in the nursery. Zoo lab visit bringing a variety of insects and creatures for the children to learn about and explore. There is a photographer who attends twice a year to take individual and sibling photos as well a leaver photo for school leavers. A graduation party for the children is organised for those that are leaving us to go to school, they are entertained as well as take part in a graduation ceremony where they wear gowns, mortarboards and are presented with a certificate. The nursery holds an annual art gallery where children’s art work is displayed and an auction takes place to raise money for our chosen charity.


A full time cook provides home cooked healthy meals on the premises that are varied and meet nutritional guidelines. Breakfast, snacks, lunch and tea for the children are freshly prepared daily and always take into consideration any special dietary requirements such as allergies and provide an alternative if necessary. Our children aged over two are encouraged to serve themselves at mealtimes so that they learn to manage portion control and make decisions about what they eat. Our colleagues eat with the children to encourage healthy eating and to promote good table manners and we make mealtimes a sociable occasion. Every child has access to drinking water throughout the day.


Within the nursery a monthly newsletter is sent to the parents detailing important dates, nursery updates and general information about what is happening in the nursery in the month. Parent’s evenings are held twice a year plus a school leavers parents evening in July. In the reception area there is a parent’s notice board which has a variety of information on that the parents find useful. When a child first joins, up to three settling in sessions are held in which parents have time to get to know their child’s key person and to discuss their child’s needs. The nursery also participates in a variety of fund raising events, such as dress up days, cakes sales and an annual art gallery evening. Many other events are also held such as mother’s and father’s day tea parties and sports day where parents are encouraged to come along and join in with their children. Parents are always welcome to come into the nursery, even if they just want to see what their child gets up to during their time there.


“We are extremely proud of our key person approach and the relationship that we have with our parents, this is what we feel makes us special. Our colleagues have very close bonds with their children and their parents and we recognise that parents are their children’s most important educators and build on their routines and learning from home through our key person approach. The nursery has a very happy atmosphere and our colleagues are very well qualified and experienced, are enthusiastic in planning interesting experiences for the children ensuring that the children get the most from their time with us learning through play and having fun in order to develop and reach their full potential.

Every child has their own individual plan, specific for their needs and interests which enables them to make progress towards the EYFS, Every Child Matters framework. We promote our children to be healthy, keep themselves safe, enjoy and achieve and make a positive contribution to the nursery and the wider community”