We are recruiting at our Billingshurst site!

For over 35 years, WAKOOS Centre4Children has been providing high-quality childcare for families across Billingshurst, Petworth and the surrounding West Sussex communities.

Today, WAKOOS operates two welcoming nursery settings in Billingshurst and Petworth, offering safe, nurturing and inspiring environments where children can learn, play and thrive.

Our story began in 1988 when two members of staff from The Weald School recognised the need for reliable childcare for working families. They founded WAKOOS, which stands for Weald Activities for Kids Out of School, with the aim of creating a caring, supportive environment where children feel happy, secure and encouraged to reach their full potential.

As demand for our childcare grew, WAKOOS relocated in 2008 to a purpose-built nursery in Billingshurst, designed to provide exceptional indoor and outdoor learning spaces. In 2016, we expanded by opening our second nursery in Petworth, located alongside Petworth Primary School, enabling us to support even more local families.

Today, we are proud to support almost 300 families across our two settings. Our experienced and dedicated team is passionate about giving every child the very best start in life through engaging experiences, meaningful relationships and a child-centred approach to learning.

Our Nurseries

Our nurseries welcome children from 3 months to school age, with thoughtfully designed rooms that provide stimulating, age-appropriate environments for every stage of early childhood.

We offer both 15-hour and 30-hour funded childcare places, helping families access high-quality early education in a caring and supportive setting.

Our experienced practitioners encourage children to learn through play, explore their interests, build confidence and develop the skills they need for a successful transition into school.

Alongside our nursery provision, our Petworth setting also offers a Breakfast Club, After School Club and Holiday Club for school-aged children, providing flexible childcare for local families throughout the year.

Management

Each WAKOOS nursery is managed by the Nursery Manager at each site. The managers are supported by deputies, and the management team as a whole is supported and directed by our committee of volunteer trustees.

• Encourage the emotional, social, physical, creative and intellectual development of children.
• Encourage positive attitudes, and develop confidence and self-esteem.
• Provide an atmosphere that stimulates interests and each child's imagination.
• Help parents achieve a work-life balance, by offering flexible hours and by accepting Nursery Vouchers and assisting with providing information for Working Family Tax Credits. 
• Are either fully qualified nursery practitioners or are working towards childcare qualifications.

WE ARE A CHARITY!

WAKOOS is a registered charity run by a committee of volunteer trustees. As a not-for-profit organisation, we are able to keep our fees as low as possible and provide competitive, affordable childcare. Any surplus revenue generated is able to be put back into improving our facilities.

For further information, please visit our Committee page or the Charity Commission website:

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission

Our charity number is 1137968

Billingshurst EY420054 / Womens Hall ASC EY446385 / Petworth EY401815

More information about the role of Ofsted can be found here www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

We are subject to unannounced inspections and our most recent reports can be found below