Welcome to The Co-operative Childcare Watford

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 settled and happy in the nursery. Staff are attentive and know the children well. Social skills and independence is promoted in accordance with each child's abilities. The pre-school children are confident; they are able to talk freely in group time, taking turns in choosing stories and songs. Children show great delight as they take the lead in the singing and action rhymes”

Latest Inspection Date 22/02/2011. To view the full report click here


Our nursery team are friendly, approachable and have attended numerous training courses to enhance their knowledge, enabling them to provide the best care and enjoyable learning experiences for our children. All colleagues are qualified or working towards their qualifications and together they have over 100 years of experience in childcare. Our Nursery Manager Caroline has over 15 years of experience in childcare and there is a dedicated, loyal team of 17 colleagues who help our children to have the best start in life in a brightly refurbished modern nursery setting.


The Co-operative Childcare Watford nursery is a stimulating, safe and secure environment for your child and we pride ourselves on our warm and welcoming atmosphere. There are 4 home rooms within our nursery split into the following age groups: one room for 3 months – 1 year, one room for 1-2 year olds, one room for the 2-3 year olds and one room for the 3-5 year olds.

Each room has its own nappy changing facility and children’s bathroom area which promotes independence for the children. All rooms have direct access to free flow play allowing access at anytime to a large outside play area with a soft surface, grass area and large under cover area.


There is an extensive enclosed garden area which is tastefully sectioned off to provide safe play areas even if all age groups are out at the same time and includes a covered area to enable our children to have access to the outdoors in all weather conditions. We aim to provide plenty of opportunities for physical play with a large range of outdoor equipment including climbing frames, bikes and trikes


There are many activities in addition to the core learning and play that takes place at the nursery and supports the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework. These activities are planned in advance and very often with parent participation.


At The Co-operative Childcare we offer a comprehensive package and provide all nappies and food (breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, mid afternoon snack, tea). Our chef prepares a home cooked lunch every day using fresh produce sourced from local suppliers where possible. This supports our ethics and values of being a co-operative and gives the children the nutrition they need to ensure they grow healthily whilst in our care. We also cater for all dietary requirements, allergies and cultural foods and our food is freshly made on a daily basis. Children always have access to fresh drinking water.


The parents have an information board located in the reception area which has a variety of useful information. In the various 0-3 year olds home rooms they have a feedback sheet which includes the children’s daily information of how they have been, including sleep, food, nappies and anything that they have enjoyed during the day. The 3-5 year olds carers give verbal feedback to the parent on a daily basis. Regular newsletters are sent to parents to keep them updated on up and coming events and we encourage parent participation in many of them. When parents join the nursery they are asked to complete an information from home sheet which will help the key person to settle the child into the nursery environment. Parents evenings are offered at regular intervals throughout the year where the child’s key person discusses the child’s development with their parents and there is also an annual survey for parents to give structured feedback on all areas of the nursery. Parent forum meetings are also held every month in the nursery.


"The Nursery has been established for 12 years and we are in a prime location based in Watford Station with access directly onto the platform of the station.

My nursery team are highly qualified with the majority holding at least NVQ level 3 qualifications in childcare. We pride ourselves on the excellent relationships that exist with our children and parents and our aim is always to have happy and well cared for children who look forward to coming to nursery each and every day.

We follow the EYFS curriculum and the team regularly attend training sessions to update their knowledge and improve their skills. The development of not only our children but also our colleagues is very important and results in a very happy, supportive environment for all. We have a very personal approach in our small nursery and together with our parents; we aim to provide our children with the best possible start in life”