About Us
Mrs and Dr Wilcock opened Number 9 The Nursery in 2015 because they wanted to create a nursery that put children first and recognised each child as a unique individual. Their desire was to create a bespoke nursery with a loving home environment where children are free to explore and engage their imagination.
Mrs Wilcock has always worked with children and was a Head Teacher of a primary school before opening Number 9. Dr Wilcock has served his community as a local GP for over 30 years and was recently awarded a British Empire Medal for his services to the NHS and the people of Croydon. Together they have 4 children and 3 grandchildren.
Throughout their years of experience they have seen the impact that a person’s childhood, particularly their early years development, can have on their future. Number 9 The Nursery grew from their commitment and passion to create a company that isn’t self-serving, but rather focused on serving and supporting local families and the wider community.
We provide Sing and Sign, Baby Ballet, Pre-School French, Yoga and Pro-Stars Sports lessons to our children to help support their development. We also have regular special visitors including ducklings, sheep, goats, lizards, owls and reindeers, alongside special events throughout the year, all of which enriches our children’s experience.
We are partnered with the Early Years Alliance Nutrition Support Programme, which means that every meal served from our kitchen meets every child’s nutritional needs. We are also accredited by Millie’s Mark, a highly sought-after award that requires all our staff to be Paediatric First Aid-trained.
We strongly believe there is no nursery like us. In everything we do we ensure the children come first, every time.
If you have any questions or want to know us better please do not hesitate to call us – our team is always happy to help!
“My little girl loves attending Number 9 The Nursery, she has such an amazing bond with not only her amazing Key Worker but all of the staff! They do a fantastic job keeping parents informed of what areas they’re working on. It’s really comforting to know that every aspect of our child’s development is being attended to.”
Our Fees
Full day – 7.30am to 6.00pm – £96.50 per day
Minimum booking of 3 days per week, which must include either a Monday or a Friday. We do not offer term-time only places.
If you would like to enquire about our availability, please click the Apply Now button at the top of the page, complete our Enquiry Form and a member of our admissions team will be in touch!
Free Funding
At Number 9 The Nursery we have stretched the government funded 15 and 30 hours over the whole year. This is to align the government funding proposal to our operating hours. You can check your funding eligibility by visiting the Best Start in Life website.
15 Hours Funding – Will be given as 11 hours per week, 5.5 hours per day over two days.
30 Hours Funding – Will be given as 22 hours per week, 5.5 hours per day over 4 days.
An additional service charge of £6.50 per day for food and activities applies where free funded hours are used.
Uniform Prices
All children from 3 years of age are required to wear our uniform, which can be purchased directly from the Nursery.
Please email the office with your order and we can have it ready for you to collect!
| White Polo Shirt | £9.00 |
| Purple Polo Shirt | £9.00 |
| Jumper | £12.00 |
| Cardigan | £15.00 |
| Bookbag | £9.00 |
We ask that children wear denim bottoms (jeans, shorts, skirt or pinafore, as you would like and as the weather dictates – but no ripped fashion styles please!) as they are hard-wearing and available in many sizes and styles.
Your child is also welcome to wear a purple gingham summer dress when the weather is warmer, which are available from several retailers’ school uniform sections.
The Team
At Number 9 we have an exceptional team of qualified staff dedicated to your child’s care and development and we pride ourselves on our staff retention – half of our team have been with us for five years or more, and our senior management were here on the day we first opened!
Alison Wilcock
FOUNDER, OWNER, Managing director
Alison has been working with children for 33 years and Number 9 The Nursery is her creation. Prior to Number 9 she worked in Early Years, Reception and then as a Head Teacher. Alongside her husband, Dr Christian Wilcock BEM, she is passionate about supporting families in Croydon and dedicated to supporting her team and creating a fantastic environment for all at Number 9. To say she is passionate about caring for children is an understatement!
Denise Mullins
Manager & senco
Denise has been with Number 9 since it opened in 2015, and has worked alongside Alison for over 17 years! As Manager she has oversight of the whole Nursery, but is primarily based as a practitioner in the Pre-School – her love and care for the Pre-School children is second-to-none and she helps them to be fully prepared for the transition to school. She also heads up our SENCo, supporting children with additional needs.
Georgina Kueh
assistant manager & baby room leader
Georgina has been at Number 9 since the nursery opened, and even studied alongside Alison for her Degree in Early Childhood Studies. There simply isn’t a better Baby Room Leader! She has personally settled hundreds of babies, who affectionately call her ‘GG’, and she is dedicated to giving them a home away from home.
Rosie Palmer
Assistant Manager & 2-Year-Old Room Leader