Woodland Barn Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Colchester for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 to 18:30, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 2005, with 48 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
CO1 2EXWhat 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, 11 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children explore the local community. They go for regular visits at the nature reserve where they find 'wiggly worms'. Children speak to local beekeepers about the importance of bees in the environment. They visit a local residential home, where they write letters and draw pictures for their 'friends'. Children enjoy speaking with the residents to learn about their life experiences, such as their previous jobs, and have enjoyed attending exercise classes with them. This has helped children to be inquisitive and empathetic towards others.
Children's views and opinions are well respected by staff. Staff hold 'committee meetings' with children to reflect on what they have enjoyed playing with, and what they would like to do next. Children comment they would like more play dough, so this is provided. They also say that they would like 'purple flowers'.
Therefore, staff take the children to the local greengrocers to buy purple flowers.
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 mealtime routines to reduce children's waiting times and ensure children's engagement is maintained.
- 11 January 2023Good
- 1 June 2017Outstanding
- 9 January 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Woodland Barn Day 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.