Mucky Pups Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Rochford for children from birth to 5, open 08:45 to 14:45, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2024. Open since 2005, with 26 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
SS4 3ADWhat 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, 6 March 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff show that they are happy to see the children as they enthusiastically greet them when they arrive. They value each child and interact positively with them.
Children instantly become engaged in their learning. Staff know the children well and ensure there are lots of exciting opportunities for children to explore. For example, staff plant flowers with children and teach them how things grow. Staff teach children that the roots absorb water and nutrients. Children develop good physical skills. For example, they balance well on planks and practise climbing across frames, before jumping off. Staff extend these activities by giving simple instructions to increase the level of difficulty for children to follow.
Staff plan a broad and interesting curriculum, both inside and outdoors. They provide children with plenty of opportunities to develop their muscles skills in readiness for early writing. While in the outside area, children spend time creating detailed marks on the wall. They use water and paintbrushes to draw lines and circles. This helps to develop their creativity and physical skills. Children behave well. Staff sensitively support children to share the toys, take turns and to be kind to their friends.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance staff knowledge and understanding of adapting practice to support younger children and meet their specific needs n increase staff confidence in how to identify more precisely what they want children to learn from an activity so that the teaching matches the intention.
- 6 March 2024Good
- 13 March 2023Needs improvement
- 20 June 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Mucky Pups Pre-School
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.