Kiddi Caru Nursery
Good★ 4.4 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Chelmsford for children from birth to 5, open 07:00 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2023. Open since 2007, with 100 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
CM1 1GPWhat 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 March 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children learn to assess and manage their own risks. Older children are competent with using saws and hammers under close supervision from staff during woodwork sessions. Children take on the role of 'safety spies' when they complete outdoor risk assessments to ensure it is a safe area to play. Children build with large blocks and 'walk the plank' before jumping off their 'boat'. They enjoy each other's company as they share ideas. They move and balance the blocks to the correct place and happily take turns to test out their creation. Younger children laugh as they play peekaboo together.
Children begin to learn about different cultures and communities. They have recently learned about Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, when children explored colour mixing. Older children visited the local cathedral, reflecting on different buildings and cultures. Children are also learning how to help the local community.
They have started collecting items, discussing what families may need and donating these to the local food bank. This enables children to learn how to respect and help each other.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to meet children's needs promptly, to ensure their comfort and well-being n help staff to build consistency in good practice and develop their understanding of how to challenge children's learning further n establish effective partnership working with other settings that children attend, to provide children with consistency in their care and education.
- 9 March 2023Good
- 22 August 2017Outstanding
- 18 September 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Kiddi Caru 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.