Layer Preschool
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Colchester for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open sessions in term time, often mornings. £39.00 a day for 3+, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 1992, with 32 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Term time only, 38 weeks a year, minimum 2 days a week.
| Age | Full day | Session | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3+3y to 5y | £39.00All Day | £16.25Afternoon, 2.5 hrs £19.50Morning, 3 hrs |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £3.25 a session Lunch Club Session
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
15 and 30 hours funded childcare.
Worth knowing. Voluntary consumables charge per session; funding can be used to cover all sessions with us so there would be no additional session fees to pay; can split funding between two providers.
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
CO2 0JUWhat 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.
- 17 September 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 24 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish in this welcoming and cosy pre-school. Staff pack away the preschool due to the multiple use of the venue, however, the dedicated staff take great care and time to create a fun and rich learning environment for children.
There is a strong emphasis on supporting children's well-being and promoting outdoor learning in the natural environment. All children, including those new to the setting, settle quickly as time is given to ensure children feel safe and secure.
Children happily arrive and are keen to explore activities on offer. Settling-in sessions for new children are tailored to meet the needs of the individual child.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen opportunities for the most-able children to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
- 24 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 6 November 2019Good
- 16 May 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Layer Preschool
- 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
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.
- Is £39.00 a day still the rate? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.