Castle Nursery
OutstandingBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Halstead for children from birth to 5, open 08:45 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2012, with 38 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
CO9 3EAWhat 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, 29 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish in this welcoming nursery. They smile as they arrive, find their own names to self-register and confidently hang up their belongings. They energetically say goodbye to their parents and carers and run off happily into the enriching environment. The manager and staff are passionate about the knowledge they want children to achieve before going to school. Staff place significant focus on promoting children's independence from a young age, so that by pre-school they are given roles within the daily routine. For example, children are inquisitive and engrossed in helping staff to prepare the morning snack by filling up the water jugs and peeling fruits. This supports children to confidently take responsibility for their own actions and empowers them to display admirable attitudes to learning.
Children's behaviour is impeccable. Staff swiftly support children to manage conflicts independently and as a result, children show high levels of respect for each other. For example, children confidently discuss swapping gardening equipment with each other while in the mud kitchen to achieve their desired goal within the learning experience. Staff pose excellent questions for children to help them think critically, such as where they need to go and what equipment they will need for a bug hunt. Children squeal with delight and show high levels of satisfaction when finding worms in the mud pit, calling staff by name to showcase their findings. Children are provided with a wealth of outdoor learning throughout the day, which gives them with opportunities to develop healthy lifestyles. Staff teach children about 'healthy hearts' and children confidently discuss the effects exercise has on their bodies, which supports their own understanding of their wellbeing. Children fully cooperate as they dress for all weathers and then race outside excitedly.
- 29 November 2022Outstanding
- 23 February 2017Outstanding
- 28 February 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Castle Nursery
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.