Opening hours
9am until 3.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9am until midday on Friday
St Mary's Playschool, established in 1968 and located in Chelmsford, Essex, offers a nurturing and stimulating environment for children aged 2 to 4. The playschool operates during term time, with sessions running from 9am to 3:30pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to midday on Fridays.
The dedicated team of 11 childcare staff, including two qualified teachers, prioritise creating a welcoming atmosphere where children feel safe and eager to learn. They focus on developing essential skills, promoting independence, and fostering a love for learning through engaging activities like book sharing and cultural celebrations.
The playschool effectively supports children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language, ensuring every child is included and can thrive. Parents consistently commend the staff for their support and the open communication regarding their children's progress and well-being, contributing to a strong sense of community within the playschool.
What it's like
Children receive a warm welcome from staff and this provides reassurance for them as they say 'goodbye' to their parents. They arrive eager to learn and ready to get involved in all that is on offer. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at playschool with their friends. Older children show their kindness and consideration for younger children when they play together outdoors and at lunchtime when they sit together to eat. Children learn useful skills that prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They are particularly proud of their independence and ability to do things for themselves.
Funding accepted
Opening hours
9am until 3.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9am until midday on Friday
Term time / All Year
Term_time_only
Established
1968
Last inspected 25 January 2023
What it's like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome from staff and this provides reassurance for them as they say 'goodbye' to their parents. They arrive eager to learn and ready to get involved in all that is on offer. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at playschool with their friends. Older children show their kindness and consideration for younger children when they play together outdoors and at lunchtime when they sit together to eat. Children learn useful skills that prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They are particularly proud of their independence and ability to do things for themselves.
Inspector highlights
Areas to develop
Inclusion & environment
Staff work hard to include specific individual learning programmes within the playschool, such as physiotherapy exercises and signing to support speech, ensuring that every child is effectively included.
St Mary’s pre school is a wonderful, nurturing setting for any child. Our local pre school closed down at short notice and we knew we didn’t need a full time nursery but pre schools were few and far between. We stumbled upon St Mary’s after a recommendation from a friend and we didn’t look back! From the first visit we knew it was the perfect place for our daughter to thrive and flourish. She was nurtured, loved and educated by passionate and caring teachers who treated her as though she was one of their own! They constantly strive for the best for the children in their care. Our daughter has started school now and we still speak fondly of St Mary’s and miss all the teachers and staff. I would recommend St Mary’s to anyone looking for a traditional setting where your child’s well-being and happiness is the priority!
Read on GoogleMy Daughter attends St Mary’s Playschool and she absolutely loves it. It’s such an amazing playschool with such a lovely welcoming atmosphere, as soon as I came a viewed St Mary’s I knew straight away that I wanted to send my daughter here. They care so much about the children and put so much time and effort into making them feel happy comfortable and safe in the environment. Since my daughter has been there she has come on leaps and bounds with her confidence. When my son is old enough I will definitely send him to St Mary’s too.
Read on GoogleOur daughter started at St Mary’s over a month ago and she loves it! She is actually excited to go each morning and is sometimes even sad to leave. Even in her 3 hour morning session she is outside playing, singing, doing crafts, having a snack and more. It’s great we can see the weekly plan on Class Dojo and can easily message staff on the app. We are so happy with the play school and know we made the right decision. Mandy was so lovely and welcoming to us during our tour, as well as all the staff telling us about the different rooms they work in. It feels like a home away from home for little ones. You can really feel the kind and caring motherly energy from all the staff. I appreciate that so much and have so much confidence that my little girl is in great hands. Thank you all!
Read on GoogleSt Mary’s Playschool is such a lovely setting. My son attended from the age of 2 until he left to go to school- in that time he learnt an incredible amount and totally thrived. He left “school ready” which is a total credit to the hard work put in by the teachers here. All of the staff genuinely care about all of the children and go above and beyond every single day. I would not send my children anywhere else- nowhere could compete with the quality of staff and the amount of space the children have to play and learn both inside and outside. So much so that I can’t wait for my daughter to join the Ladybirds class in a few months time.
Read on GoogleSt Mary’s is a lovely little Playschool and we were so happy we found it. It’s a little gem. Both of our children went there even though it wasn’t the nearest or most convenient option as all the staff and teachers (who are actually teachers or were teachers at school) are passionate about the children and unlike most nurseries and day care (who just seem to day sit the children) here they do actually teach in preparation for school. Highly recommended and we will miss them.
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for St Mary's Playschool. See all on Google Maps
Date: March 2015
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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