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Ashdon Childrens Nursery

Ofsted: Outstanding
(Jul 2024)
·
5.0(10 parent reviews)
·Hill Farm, Radwinter Road, Saffron Walden, CB10 2ET · Essex
Number of places
79 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jul 2024
Local authority
Essex

About this day nursery

Ashdon Childrens Nursery offers a supportive and stimulating environment where children are encouraged to explore and learn through a variety of engaging activities. The nursery prioritises a broad curriculum that caters to individual learning styles and paces, ensuring each child reaches their full potential.

They champion critical thinking, creativity, and self-discovery, fostering a positive atmosphere where children can take calculated risks, solve problems, and collaborate. Dedicated key workers create personalised development records, tracking progress and tailoring activities to individual needs and interests.

The curriculum is delivered through a balanced approach of adult-led and child-initiated experiences, both indoors and outdoors, and often incorporates children's interests and topical themes like road safety or healthy eating. This dynamic approach aims to excite and engage every child.

Our ethos

Ashdon Childrens Nursery champions critical thinking, creativity, and self-discovery, fostering a positive atmosphere where children can take calculated risks, solve problems, and collaborate. Their curriculum is delivered through a balanced approach of adult-led and child-initiated experiences, incorporating children's interests and topical themes to excite and engage every child.

What it's like

Children flourish in the warm and welcoming nursery and have a genuine thirst for learning because staff plan an enticing curriculum that embraces children's unique interests and preferred patterns of learning. Children are highly independent, confident and excellent communicators who rapidly develop the key skills needed to be ready for school and behave exceptionally well.

Ofsted OutstandingOutdoor Learning FocusHealthy Eating Focus

Pricing & funding

The nursery offers funded hours during term time from Monday to Thursday, with no top-up fees. Additional non-funded hours are charged at an hourly rate. Meals and snacks are charged daily per session, though parents have the option to provide a packed lunch instead.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
  • Additional non-funded hours£9.20 / hour
  • Meals, Snacks and Desserts£4.50 / session

Good to know

  • Funded hours are available over 38 weeks, Monday to Thursday, between 8.00am and 5.15pm.
  • No top-up fees are charged for accessing funded entitlement.
  • Meals and snacks are optional; parents can choose to bring a packed lunch instead.
  • Holiday club runs for 7 weeks of school holidays at standard hourly rates, with parents providing food.
  • Invoices are fully itemised showing individual breakdown of charges.

Key facts

Opening hours

8.00am to 5.15pm Monday to Thursday

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2016

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Ashdon Childrens Nursery

Last inspected 3 July 2024 · Lisa Weston

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding

What it's like to attend

Children flourish in the warm and welcoming nursery and have a genuine thirst for learning because staff plan an enticing curriculum that embraces children's unique interests and preferred patterns of learning. Children are highly independent, confident and excellent communicators who rapidly develop the key skills needed to be ready for school and behave exceptionally well.

Inspector highlights

  • Children flourish in a warm and welcoming nursery
  • Language-rich environment that supports excellent communication
  • High levels of independence and exceptional behaviour
  • Ambitious leadership and well-supported staff
  • Rich experiences including forest-school sessions, Spanish and local visits
Inspection #10344312 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

Outdoor space

Children benefit from a wealth of rich experiences during forest-school sessions, which provide opportunities to take risks through climbing and exploring natural resources. Staff enrich outdoor curiosity with activities such as measuring height and using water brushes to mark trees.

Parent Reviews of Ashdon Childrens Nursery

5.0
(10)
Laura Naidoo
8 months ago

I have had 2 children go to Ashdon Nursery. It has been a wonderful experience. The staff are kind and attentive and the setting is amazing. There are multiple opportunities for parents to visit from sports days to Mother’s Day mornings. We particularly loved it because of the exposure to nature at the forest. On top of this kids get to watch chicks hatching and go on regular countryside walks. Both my children have ran in happily every day.

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Lauren Clarke
9 months ago

Having tried several nurseries beforehand, I can hands down say Ashdon Children's Nursery is by far the best. The whole atmosphere the staff create is so friendly and welcoming for both children and their families. They go above and beyond to create a varied itinerary for the children with lots of visitors teaching new skills such as dancing, cooking and hand wasing. I cannot thank the staff enough for their consistent enthusiasm and care. My daughter has loved her time at Ashdon Children's Nursery and has established confidence, skills and friendships she can now carry with her to the next step of primary school.

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Vickie H
9 months ago

I have had two children attend Ashdon Nursery and cannot rate the team there highly enough. The grounds and environment are so enriching for the children and they spend a lot of time outside which is great. Both of my children have been helped with their development and have been well prepared for school. The team make the effort to provide the children with new experiences which have included looking after chicks, spanish and dance lessons and pop up play sessions. The communication has always been great, and most importantly both of my children have expressed feeling safe and cared for when at Ashdon.

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Sasha Shorten
9 months ago

The best children's nursery around, in such a beautiful setting. The staff are wonderful and kind and always have the children's best interest at heart. The nursery follows lovely traditions with little Christmas shows, special themed days, watching real eggs hatch, forest school, farm animal days there is something for every child. Wish I had more kids to send through, but 4 is probably my limit. I wish you all the best with many more years of happiness for little ones. Thank you for looking after my babies. x

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WK Taylor
9 months ago

Ashdon nursery has been great for my two kids. Whenever I drop them off or collect them I am always so encouraged hearing how the staff speak to them, the same way I try to (when I’m not frazzled and at the end of my tether). It’s always hard leaving your children in the care of someone but I couldn’t ask for better people than all the fantastic staff at Ashdon Nursery. I highly recommend Ashdon to everyone I speak to.

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Reviews from Google for Ashdon Childrens Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: August 2018

  • July 2024Outstanding
  • August 2018Outstanding

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more