Rainbow Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Colchester for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 15:00, 4 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2022. Open since 1997, with 20 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
CO4 5ETWhat 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, 17 January 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and enjoy their time at the pre-school. They readily leave their parents at the door and are greeted by friendly staff. Children are supported to hang their coats and bags up before going to find their friends. They join in with the 'hello' song and smile as they hear their name in the song. This helps them to have a good sense of belonging.
Children develop their independence during daily routines. They learn to recognise their written name as they self-register for snack. They use serving spoons to put banana on their plate and use small jugs to pour milk into their cups. Children are encouraged to clear plates away when they have finished eating. Staff give children praise and encouragement, helping to boost their self-esteem.
Children make choices in their play as they move freely around the room to explore and develop their own ideas. They choose from a wide range of activities and resources that encourage them to develop their imaginations. They act out familiar events and use the knowledge they have gained through stories, during their play.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide more support and training for staff to further enhance the planning of activities for children, taking into account children's prior knowledge
- help staff to understand how to further extend children's vocabulary.
- 17 January 2022Good
- 26 May 2016Good
- 8 June 2015Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Rainbow Playgroup
- 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.