Letterbox Nursery
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Walton on the Naze for babies from 6 months up to school age, open 08:30 to 17:30, 5 days a week. £70.20 a day for 2-3 YEARS, and they take the funded hours. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in April 2023. Open since 2008, with 40 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Price list dated May 2026.
| Age | Full day | Session | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 YEARSbirth to 2y | £85.508:30am – 5:30pm | £38.00Morning 8:30am – 12:30pm or Afternoon 1:30pm – 5:30pm, 4 hrs | £9.50Lunch hour extension 12:30-1:30 | |
| 2-3 YEARS2y to 3y | £70.208:30am – 5:30pm | £31.20Afternoon 1:30pm – 5:30pm or Morning 8:30am – 12:30pm, 4 hrs | £7.80Lunch hour extension 12:30-1:30 | |
| 3-5 YEARS3y to 5y | £53.108:30am – 5:30pm | £23.60Morning 8:30am – 12:30pm or Afternoon 1:30pm – 5:30pm, 4 hrs | £5.90Lunch hour extension 12:30-1:30 |
Funded hours
9+ Months Funding, Two Year Funding, 3-4 Year Olds, 30 Hours Funding 3-4 year olds.
Worth knowing. You can attend Letterbox Day Nursery solely using your government funding with no additional charges. We do restrict the amount of funded sessions to 70% occupancy at the discretion of the directors.
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
CO14 8BAWhat 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 April 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive in this exceptionally friendly and inclusive nursery. The provider, manager and staff have an exceedingly strong and caring ethos that puts children at the centre of everything they do. Children and their families are warmly welcomed at the door by their key person. Staff say 'hello' to children in their home language. They are highly attentive to children's individual needs and get to know children, and their families, very well. Children show that they feel extremely happy, settled and secure in the nursery. They demonstrate their confidence, resilience and independence as they persevere with challenging tasks. For example, children show great determination to do up the zips on their coats, and they are very proud when they eventually succeed.
Children enjoy a wealth of innovative and inspiring learning experiences. They go for walks on the beach and have great fun at the swimming pool. Children choose books from the library bus and join their friends on a coach trip to see a pantomime. They discover the awe and wonder of the world as they watch in amazement as the ducklings hatch out of their eggs. Children have superb opportunities to meet other people in the community, such as people who help them. Staff arrange visits from local fire and police officers. Children learn about their roles and the number to call for help. They have great fun trying on the police officer's hat and sitting in the police car, turning on the lights and siren. Children eagerly join in all activities. Staff ensure that all children have a highly enjoyable nursery experience and the best possible start to their early education.
- 24 April 2023Outstanding
- 11 September 2017Good
- 12 March 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Letterbox Nursery
- 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
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 £70.20 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.