Springboard Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hours★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Chelmsford for children from birth to 8+, open 09:15 to 15:15, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 1975, with 25 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
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
CM2 6EBWhat 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, 19 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children excitedly arrive at pre-school and demonstrate that they are keen and eager to explore the activities provided. They are welcomed warmly by happy staff who are genuinely pleased to see them. The pre-school has a holistic approach to the curriculum and staff invest time in getting to know children and their families well before they start. Children leave their parents with ease. Children who are new to the pre-school soon become familiar with the vibrant, warm and homely environment. Displays of their art work, along with opportunities for them to register their attendance on arrival, give children a sense of belonging and selfworth.
The educational programme provides many worthwhile experiences to enable all children to make good progress. The new management team and staff work well together. Children are motivated to learn and are fully engaged. The session runs seamlessly and there is a calm and harmonious atmosphere throughout. Children are provided with an ambitious, broad curriculum, which is designed to follow their interests, build on what they already know and introduce seasonal themes. For example, children enthusiastically explore trays of autumnal treasures, such as conkers, leaves and acorns. Children are familiar with the high expectations of the pre-school. These are modelled well by the nurturing staff, who offer children lots of praise and reassurance for their efforts. Children demonstrate that they are confident, and their behaviour is good.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide more opportunities within the curriculum for children to learn and understand the wider world and community in which they live n strengthen and support opportunities for parents to continue children's learning at home.
- 19 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 3 December 2019Good
- 12 December 2014Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Springboard Pre-School
- What it costs
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? 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.