Scallywags Day Nursery
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Braintree for children from birth to 8+, open 07:00 to 19:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2024. Open since 1997.
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
CM7 5JYWhat 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, 23 April 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enjoy their time at nursery and develop secure relationships with staff and their peers. Interactions between staff and children are warm and supportive, which supports their emotional development and sense of security. For instance, new children receive the support of their key person and settle in their arms before starting to explore their environment. Overall, children behave appropriately and demonstrate that their needs are being met.
Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They model clear language and repeat words back to children. All children enjoy stories and singing.
Staff engage in meaningful conversations with older children. They use these opportunities to build on their vocabulary. Staff read and explore sensory books with babies, introducing descriptive words to describe the textures of the pictures, such as 'fluffy' and 'smooth'. As a result, children are becoming confident communicators.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review the organisation of activities to provide children with greater opportunities to concentrate deeply on their learning and play n guide staff to provide young children with the support they need to make good choices, helping them to understand the impact their behaviour has on others.
- 23 April 2024Good
- 16 November 2023Inadequate
- 28 June 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Scallywags Day Nursery
- 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.