Hopscotch Day Nursery
GoodTakes funded hours★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Kelvedon Hatch for babies from 3 months up to school age, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2023. Open since 2003, with 35 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
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
CM15 0DHWhat 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, 23 March 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are excited to arrive at this friendly nursery. They separate from carers happily, and enthusiastically explore this stimulating learning environment. Staff plan engaging activities which they adapt well to meet the learning needs of all children. For example, toddlers make nests out of cereal. Staff encourage them to explore scientific concepts, such as melting and freezing. They develop mathematical skills by weighing and counting out ingredients. Babies enjoy the same activity with their key staff. They explore the different textures, and staff model new vocabulary to support their language development.
Children confidently explore the extensive outdoor area. They learn to manage risks in their play while navigating the age-appropriate play equipment. Staff encourage children to explore potential hazards and the possible impact they could have on themselves and others. For example, children use hose pipes to fill containers with water. They understand they must be careful so that their friends do not trip over the pipes.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported in the nursery. Staff work exceptionally closely with carers and other professionals. They attend various meetings and undertake additional training to ensure children receive the high levels of care they need. This supports all children to make good progress from their starting points.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support room leaders to continuously evaluate the environment and care routines to ensure they continue to meet the needs of all children n enhance methods of monitoring and assessment to allow high-quality information to be shared with carers and used to further children's development at home.
- 23 March 2023Good
- 2 August 2017Good
- 6 January 2017Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Hopscotch Day Nursery
- What it costs
- Meals
- Nappies
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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.