Stanway Pre-school
Not yet inspectedTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Colchester for from 2 years up to school age, open 08:30 to 15:30, 5 days a week. £8.00 an hour for 2yr olds, and they take the funded hours. Ofsted has not yet published a graded inspection. Open since 2024, with 48 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Term time only, 38 weeks a year, minimum 2 days a week, price list dated Sept 25.
| Age | Session | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2yr olds2y to 3y | £24.00al | £8.00 | |
| 3-4yr olds3y to 4y | £19.50al | £6.50 |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £10.00 per 15 minutes Late pick up after 12:30pm & 3:30pm
Funded hours
FEE2, 15-hour, and 30-hour placements.
Worth knowing. Those eligible for 15hrs or 30hrs (Feee) Entitlement will receive an invoice for any hours exceeding their free entitlement and for snacks unless you choose to provide your own snacks.
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
CO3 0QGWhat 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.
Still missing for Stanway Pre-school
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date.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 £8.00 an hour 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.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.