Rowhedge Under 5's
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Colchester for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2025. Open since 2015, with 35 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
CO5 7HRWhat 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, 11 June 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children wait excitedly at the pre-school door chatting to their parents about the staff and what they are going to do that day. When the door is opened for them to enter, they bound in. Their excitement and zest for learning is apparent from the moment they enter the pre-school. Children are greeted by smiling staff who welcome them and receive relevant information from parents to help them to tailor the children's day. On arrival, children take a moment to find their name to enable them to self-register, they then choose whether they are going to begin their preschool day in the main hall or in the exciting and well-resourced garden.
Children behave very well. They have a good understanding of the pre-school rules and staff are clear about their expectations of children's behaviour. Children are kind and caring towards each other and wait patiently to use favourite resources, such as the large rope swing in the garden. Children are provided with very good opportunities to guide their pre-school day. For example, they choose when they stop their play to enjoy a mid-session snack and when they want to have their lunch. The pre-school remains set up for them to continue their play and learning throughout the day.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- implement a consistent approach to enhancing children's independence, giving them more time to try tasks before adults intervene n support staff to strengthen the quality of teaching to a consistently high level so that all children benefit from strong learning.
- 11 June 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 15 October 2024Needs improvement
- 16 May 2024Inadequate
- 13 June 2023Needs improvement
- 15 September 2021Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 5 graded inspections.
Still missing for Rowhedge Under 5's
- 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.