St Marys Church of England Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Chigwell for children from birth to 5, open 09:15 to 14:45, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 1996, with 32 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
IG7 6QQWhat 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, 25 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are welcomed by kind and attentive staff, who are genuinely pleased to see them. A settling-in process, along with established partnerships with parents, mean staff know the children well before they attend. Therefore, even new children to the nursery demonstrate that they are settled and excited to attend. Children quickly engage with the activities provided. The curriculum is planned to support children for a smooth transition to school. Planned adult-led activities build on what children already know and their interests, along with seasonal themes, such as autumn. In addition, the nursery principles, such as being kind, part of a community, curious and a confident talker, underpin the intentions for learning. An inclusive environment and a variety of resources that are easily accessible on open shelving, help children self-select and support their own ideas. The curriculum provides many worthwhile experiences to enable all children to make good progress.
Children establish close and trusting bonds with their key person. For example, they seek them out when they need reassurance or a cuddle and confidently approach staff when they need help. The staff are nurturing and reassuring role models, and offer children praise for their efforts. Children understand the rules and expectations of the nursery and play well together, showing kindness and concern for their friends. Therefore, children's behaviour is good.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- improve staff's knowledge and understanding further of how to consistently promote children's speech and language development n continue to strengthen partnerships with parents to routinely share information about their child's progress and help them extend and support children's learning at home n continue to strengthen a culture of mutual support and teamwork to ensure ongoing continuous improvement.
- 25 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 26 November 2024Needs improvement
- 13 February 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St Marys Church of England 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.