Apple Barn Pre School
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Stansted for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2025. Open since 2017, with 15 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
CM24 8HUWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 9 May 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish in the small, welcoming and cosy pre-school. There is a strong emphasis on supporting children's well-being and promoting outdoor learning in the natural environment. Time is given to ensure children feel safe, secure and settled.
Settling-in sessions are tailored to meet the needs of the individual child.
Therefore, children happily arrive with enthusiasm and excitement to start their day. They leave their parents with ease and quickly engage in their play. Children demonstrate they are confident and secure and have established warm and trusting bonds with their key person and the small team of staff, who all speak knowledgeably about the children in their care.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build on the good communication with parents to develop ways to consistently share up-to-date information about how they can support their child's learning at home n guide staff to provide more opportunities for children to consider their thoughts and responses to questions.
- 9 May 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 11 July 2019Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Apple Barn Pre School
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.