Serendipity Nursery
Good★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Basildon 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 August 2023. Open since 2014, with 50 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
SS16 4NFWhat 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, 31 August 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Key persons for the individual children greet parents and children in the nursery foyer. They welcome the children in and ask how they are. This provides a good opportunity for parents to share any relevant information from home with their child's key person. Children wave goodbye to their parents and carers and are keen to start their nursery day. Key persons guide them to their rooms, encouraging children to find their photograph and name and place it on a peg of their choice.
This gives children a good sense of belonging. Once in their rooms, children find their friends and quickly become engrossed in play.
Children behave well and show respect for each other. Staff help them to understand the nursery's 'golden rules' by gently reminding them to use their 'kind hands' and words. Children develop good levels of independence from a young age. Staff encourage them to make choices over their play and to help with some of the routine tasks, such as clearing up before lunch and serving their own meal.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- coach staff in strengthening their questioning techniques, to encourage all children to express their thoughts and ideas and extend their learning n build on the already good practice and seek further ways to help all staff deepen their knowledge of how to deliver the curriculum content.
- 31 August 2023Good
- 21 June 2018Good
- 19 August 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Serendipity 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.