The Barn Nursery School
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Halstead for children from birth to 8+, open 07:45 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2024. Open since 2015, with 76 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
CO9 1QYWhat 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, 13 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The providers and staff place children at the heart of their highly ambitious curriculum. Staff's knowledge and dedication ensure that teaching practice is continuously outstanding. Children rapidly develop excellent levels of confidence and resilience as well as exceptional communication skills. Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of their key children and skilfully tailor the curriculum to ensure that they continually build on what children know and need to learn next.
As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make exceptional progress from their starting points. Children display high levels of confidence and resilience as they learn how to safely use carpentry tools and glue guns to create intricate wooden structures. They talk confidently about what they are doing, showing immense pride in their achievements.
Children's behaviour is excellent. For example, when staff want to gain the attention of the babies, they ask them to 'freeze', demonstrating this with arms raised in the air. All the babies immediately stop what they are doing, and promptly raise their arms. This shows their excellent awareness of the routine and their understanding of staff's expectations. Children arrive eager to start their day and happily bid their parents goodbye. They settle quickly and show extremely high levels of emotional well-being and security.
- 13 February 2024Outstanding
- 22 February 2018Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Barn Nursery School
- 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.