Safari Childcare
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Billericay for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2024. Open since 2013, with 40 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
CM12 9LDWhat 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, 8 October 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and enjoy their time in the setting. Staff are positive in their interactions with children. They are polite and respectful to them and are good role models. They are responsive to the needs of the children, who seek them out if they need support or comfort. Children play well with each other and have formed friendships. They talk together during their play and share their thoughts and ideas.
Children are encouraged to cut up their fruit at snack time and pour their drinks.
They put their coats on before going outside. The environment is set up so that children can engage in self-chosen play, both indoors and outdoors. As a result, children show good levels of independence and confidence.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the quality of staff interactions with children to challenge and extend their learning more effectively as they play n build on staff questioning techniques to enable children to have more time to think, respond and verbalise their ideas and thoughts n develop hygiene procedures in relation to handwashing after wiping children's noses to prevent cross-infection.
- 8 October 2024Good
- 24 January 2023Good
- 13 November 2018Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Safari Childcare
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.