Harwich Centre Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Harwich for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2004, with 50 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
CO12 4AJWhat 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, 4 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress at the pre-school. Familiar staff greet the children at the beginning of each session. As a result, children are supported to leave their parents confidently on arrival at the pre-school gates. Children are happy and confident, showing that they feel safe and secure in the familiar environment.
Children have many opportunities to practise their physical skills. Younger children develop their balance and core strength as they lift, jump and climb on the large soft-play equipment. Older children are starting to learn the importance of keeping themselves safe. Staff support them to understand why they need to wait their turn on the slide. Children learn to take risks as they use the spin see-saw. Staff plan a range of activities and resources to help children develop their fine motor skills, such as painting and play dough. This helps to strengthen the small muscles in children's fingers and hands in readiness for early writing.
Children are becoming confident communicators. Staff continually talk to children during activities and ask them questions. Staff use positive methods to help children with additional needs to engage in learning experiences. For instance, they use the child's name to help them refocus their attention and sustain their concentration.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to maximise opportunities for children to be independent in their self-care routines - strengthen the link between monitoring of practice and providing staff with support and coaching to raise staff teaching to an even higher level.
- 4 October 2023Good
- 2 February 2018Good
- 9 July 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Harwich Centre 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.