St Mary's Playschool
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Chelmsford for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2023. Open since 1968, with 78 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
CM2 7JUWhat 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.
- 20 December 2022 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 25 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome from staff and this provides reassurance for them as they say 'goodbye' to their parents. They arrive eager to learn and ready to get involved in all that is on offer. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at playschool with their friends. Older children show their kindness and consideration for younger children when they play together outdoors and at lunchtime when they sit together to eat.
Children learn useful skills that prepare them for the next stage in their learning.
They are particularly proud of their independence and ability to do things for themselves. For example, when putting on their coats to go outside, children skilfully put their sleeves in the right way before laying down their coats to use the method taught by staff. This is clearly an effective technique as most children are able to do it.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve the organisation of some routines so that the transition between activities runs smoothly and children know what is going to happen next.
- 25 January 2023Good
- 16 January 2019Good
- 16 October 2018Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St Mary's Playschool
- 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.