Springfield Bees Preschool
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Chelmsford for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. £24.00 a session for 2 and 3 year olds, and they take the funded hours. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in January 2024. Open since 2012, with 56 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Session | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 and 3 year olds2y to 3y | £24.00per (2 and 3 year olds) | |
| 3 & 4 year olds3y to 4y | £23.00per (for 3 & for 4 year olds) | |
| All ages | £25.00where available |
Before you start
One-off charges to take a place.
- £15.00 Late payment of feesfees that remain unpaid in advance of a child’s attendance
- £15.00 per 15 minutes Late Collection of childper child per 15 minutes or part thereof
Discounts
- 10% Sibling Discountboth children in attendance
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
Qualifying 2, 3 and 4 year olds in receipt of the 15 hours free entitlement known as FEEE (or up to 30 hours extended entitlement).
Worth knowing. Completely free of charge.
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 7PPWhat 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, 26 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and their families are warmly welcomed into this child friendly, exciting and inspiring environment. The staff team meticulously plans and delivers a challenging curriculum. Superb support and skilful interactions mean all children attending flourish and make rapid progress. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The professional management team and the dedicated manager have created a wonderful learning environment for the children. Children are consistently the priority and are the centre of every decision made. Therefore, children excitedly arrive and are keen and eager to learn and investigate the activities on offer, leaving their parents with ease.
Staff are happy, nurturing and very attentive. Children quickly become absorbed in activities and engage staff in their games. They asks lots of questions and lead their own learning, skilfully supported by the staff. Children's imaginations and creativity are supported as they decide they need a hospital. The role-play area is quickly transformed to provide the resources they need. Superb conversations take place as they bandage their friends and prescribe medication. They write prescriptions using writing materials that are readily available throughout the preschool.
Staff create an exciting dedicated outdoor environment within the school grounds.
- 26 January 2024Outstanding
- 30 April 2018Good
- 22 January 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Springfield Bees Preschool
- 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.
- Is £24.00 a session still the rate? 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.