Little Wakering Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Great Wakering for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 08:30 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 2017, with 30 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
15 hours (30 if eligible to Extended Entitlement) of Free Early Education Entitlement per week for all children aged 3 & 4. Eligible 2 year olds are able to access 15 hours of FEEE per week.
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
SS3 0JBWhat 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, 21 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The dedicated managers and team of happy, caring, and nurturing staff welcome children into an exciting play environment that captures their interests and curiosity. Children quickly settle and become absorbed in their play. The ambitious and challenging curriculum is carefully designed to ensure all children's needs are met and provide them with good quality learning opportunities. Spontaneous play is effectively promoted as all staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Children's interests in the moment and activities designed around a favourite book of the week, mean children are keen and eager to learn and try new things.
The team invest time getting to know the children and their family before they attend. Parents welcome home visits that are offered before children attend. This supports a positive and seamless transition from home to pre-school. Children are very settled, confident and have established strong bonds with the staff. The staff are attentive and skilful in their interactions and offers of help. Staff speak with genuine kindness and are respectful of the children, listening to what they have to say and supporting their choices. Children relish their time in the outdoor play space and can flow freely from indoors to the garden. Throughout the day there is a calm and happy atmosphere. Staff are good role models. Children make friendships and ask their friends to join in their games. Their behaviour is very good.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help children to understand how to take more care of their environment and resources, particularly when they are leading their own play.
- 21 January 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 1 March 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Wakering Pre-School
- What it costs
- 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.
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.