Small Wonders Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Chelmsford for children from birth to 8+, open 07:00 to 19:00, 7 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2024. Open since 2012, with 46 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
CM1 6JNWhat 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, 7 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and are warmly welcomed into the nursery. Staff focus on building strong relationships with children, which helps them to settle quickly.
Children are happy and interact well together, demonstrating they feel safe and secure in their surroundings. Children are motivated to explore the activities on offer. Babies explore sensory activities. They eagerly scoop up oats and feel the texture with their hands. Older children work together in the garden as they use their imaginations. They discuss how fast their pirate's ship needs to sail to avoid being captured.
Leaders place a high priority on supporting children's communication and language.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support less-experienced staff to understand how to implement the curriculum effectively so that children make the best possible progress in their learning and development n help staff to provide consistent opportunities for children to develop their independence.
- 7 February 2024Good
- 23 August 2023Inadequate
- 13 August 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Small Wonders 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.