Chestnut@Arden House
Good★ 3.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Barking for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2024. Open since 2014, with 57 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 Barking and Dagenham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Barking and Dagenham 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
IG11 8SYWhat 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, 24 October 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Leaders and staff provide a broad and ambitious curriculum to meet the changing needs of children who attend. They plan activities around children's interests and seasonal topics. This helps to nurture children's love of learning and enhance their understanding of the world. For instance, staff provide a planting activity for younger children that caters for their enjoyment of 'messy play' and introduces ideas about growth and change.
Staff are very caring and form strong emotional bonds with children. They are quick to notice and respond when children need a reassuring cuddle or support to join in. Staff provide a safe and welcoming space, where children are settled, happy and secure. Children show confidence and curiosity as they explore the environment and activities on offer. They relish the opportunities for outdoor play in the large garden.
Staff have high expectations for children's learning and behaviour. They support them to be confident and independent learners, who can follow routines and get on well with others. Older children demonstrate a broad range of skills and knowledge that will put them in good stead for starting school. They play nicely with their peers, manage their own personal care and are confident to ask for help when they need it.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- further strengthen communication with parents to help them understand how the curriculum is delivered and how to continue children's learning at home.
- 24 October 2024Good
- 30 January 2019Good
- 28 November 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Chestnut@Arden House
- 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.