The Kids' Academy
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Chelmsford for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2007, with 66 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 9DEWhat 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, 1 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and settle quickly. They have secure relationships with staff and form positive friendships with each other. Children are helpful and complete tasks without prompting. For example, they tidy up after they complete each activity. Children know the routine and what they will be doing next. They take turns and listen intently to their friends during group times. They have their own pegs with their photo and name to give them a sense of belonging.
Older children are confident communicators. They listen carefully to the phonics song, following the actions and naming the sounds to single words, as they take part in a phonics session. They then listen for the sound of their name to go and wash their hands in preparation for lunch.
Children go on nature walks to collect natural resources. They look at the leaves, intently describing the different colours and markings. They learn about sustainability, recycling and how to protect the planet. Younger children play with coloured shapes, problem-solving as they skilfully fit the different objects into the right slots on the bus.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop staff practice to enable them to plan and provide activities that support children's imagination and creativity n focus further on children's language development, allowing time for children to respond, and support staff to identify opportunities where language can be extended n improve the monitoring of staff practice to develop their knowledge and understanding of how children learn, so that all children benefit from a consistently high-quality learning experience.
- 1 November 2022Good
- 14 February 2017Outstanding
- 17 September 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Kids' Academy
- 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.