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The Caterpillar Clubhouse

Ofsted: Expected standard·
5.0(14 parent reviews) ·50a Presidents Court, Hoover Drive, Basildon, SS15 6LF · Essex
Number of places
14 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
Essex

About this day nursery

The Caterpillar Clubhouse, established in 2018 in Basildon, offers a nurturing childcare setting for children aged 1 to 4 years. Rated 'Good' by Ofsted on January 22, 2026, it operates Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, all year round.

The nursery provides a homely and calm environment where staff build trusting relationships, ensuring children feel secure and confident to explore. Although there isn't a dedicated garden, children benefit from rich outdoor learning experiences in the local community, engaging in activities like bug hunting and pop-up woodland classrooms.

The setting prides itself on its strong and holistic approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), utilising targeted speech, language, and communication programmes like Makaton. Leaders and staff creatively use both indoor and community environments to support learning, including meaningful intergenerational experiences through regular visits to a local care home.

The ambitious curriculum focuses on holistic development, promoting independence and ensuring children make measurable progress in all areas of learning, within a well-organised and resource-rich environment.

Our ethos

We believe in creating an environment where children can explore, discover, take risks, express themselves, sing, dance, perform, create, get active, learn life skills, play, laugh, make friends and great memories and best of all we have heaps of fun! From the moment our children step through the door we encourage independence. They are encouraged yet supported to hang their own coats and take off their shoes. They are welcomed to the breakfast table and given choices as to what they'd like to eat and drink. The children self serve and clear the table when they've finished. With a whole host of items available all day every day the children are free to explore, create and play in whichever way they prefer. Supervised by our experienced team they will be supported and challenged to take their interests to the next level to help them achieve and develop in a way that best engages them.

What it's like

The nursery is a small, homely environment. Staff build trusting relationships, creating a calm environment where children feel secure, respected and confident to explore and learn. The ambitious curriculum promotes the holistic development of every child.

Nurturing environmentCommunity-based outdoor learningStrong SEND supportHolistic developmentIntergenerational experiences

Pricing & funding

Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

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Key facts

Food

All food provided, including a rolling snack system, fixed 4-week lunch menu, and hot meals for dinner. During autumn, hot lunches are provided after outdoor play, and a cold PM meal.

Age range

1 to 5 years old (and babies from 12 months as of September 2023)

Opening hours

Monday to Friday 8am-6pm

Term time / All Year

All_year

Session types

AM: 8am - 1pm, PM: 1pm - 6pm, Whole day

Established

2018

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected Jan 2026

Headline: Expected standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
1 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for The Caterpillar Clubhouse

Last inspected 22 January 2026 · Tina Mason

What it's like to attend

The nursery is a small, homely environment. Staff build trusting relationships, creating a calm environment where children feel secure, respected and confident to explore and learn. The ambitious curriculum promotes the holistic development of every child.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff know children extremely well and promote their independence.
  • The environment, both indoors and within the community, is used creatively to support children's learning.
  • Meaningful intergenerational experiences are provided through regular visits to a local care home.
  • Children make clear and measurable progress in all areas of learning.
  • The learning environment is well organised, with resources consistently accessible to children.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders should support staff's confidence to recognise when they can extend activities to further enhance children's learning.
  • 2Leaders should support staff to make the most of opportunities to explore maths and enhance children's emerging mathematical understanding as they play.
Inspection #10191363 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders demonstrate a consistently strong and holistic approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Targeted speech, language and communication programmes and Makaton are used effectively to promote children's speech, language and communication development. Strong partnerships with parents contribute meaningfully to children's progress, and staff work effectively with external professionals to secure timely support and ensure continuity for children with emerging or identified SEND.

Outdoor space

Although the setting does not have its own garden, children benefit from rich outdoor learning experiences in the local community. They enjoy activities such as hunting for bugs and creative pop-up woodland classrooms for themed learning. Children develop gross motor skills through climbing and balancing while also learning to manage risks and take turns outdoors.

Parent Reviews of The Caterpillar Clubhouse

5.0
(14)
sean r
a year ago

The Caterpillar Clubhouse Nursery are absolutely fantastic! The owner goes above and beyond in every way she can! My son is non-verbal autistic and she has adapted the nursery multiple times during his time there to give him the best experience he can possibly have. My daughter has now also joined and has progressed massively already during her time here. The nursery location is on the smaller side but this ends up making there experience even better as they end up having mini school trips almost every session instead of being stuck in a standard playground! They explore the local area taking visits to town, the local churches, local playgrounds and more! At first glance I hesitated applying here as I wanted a nursery with a fully secure playground and a bunch more things that I imagined would make my children’s experience safer and better but I couldn’t have been more wrong! The Caterpillar Clubhouse nursery have my complete trust with my children, give them experiences that they would never have had at the kind of nursery I desired before and they go above and beyond to meet every child’s needs. My children get a million more experiences than I could ever give them myself and all I have to do is send in spare clothes regularly while they get to go muddy puddle jumping and more! If you’re looking for a nursery that you can trust completely, where the owner has your child’s experience and development as a number 1 priority and will work alongside you and her amazing team to get them everything they need, even ideas for support and entertainment at home then this is the nursery for you! The experience has been so good I’ve even said if I was forced to move I’d find a way to bring my children back here until they’re too old to attend.

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Marc Gress
2 years ago

Joy and the team here are absolutely fantastic, I couldn’t recommend this nursery more. The children are always so happy, the staff are so caring and Joy works so hard to ensure the children get as much out of their time as possible. Incredibly supportive, amazing communication and so caring.

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Stephanie
5 years ago

Amazing childcare service with professional and dedicated staff. Where the children come first and always return home happy and excited to tell you all about the wonderful adventures they had that day. The syllabus is extensive and engaging for all age groups. We have been very lucky to have found Joy and her team.

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Drew Vincent
5 years ago

Absolutely amazing! They go above and beyond for every child! Every child is greeted individually, which i think is great! My daughter comes out of every session so overly happy because she has had such good day! I'm so happy they were recommended to me!

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Joanne P
7 years ago

Joy and her team are absolutely amazing! All the children have so much fun whilst learning at the same time. My little boy has been with Joy for 3 years and I will be very sad the day he leaves to start school! Xx

Read on Google

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Frequently asked about The Caterpillar Clubhouse

About the setting

The Caterpillar Clubhouse is a childcare on non-domestic premises, registered with Ofsted on 19/10/2018. It is located at 50a Presidents Court, Hoover Drive, Basildon, Essex, SS15 6LF. The setting operates Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 18:00 and Friday from 08:00 to 15:00.

URN
EY562652
Registered person
Watkin, Joy
Day care type
Full day care
Register
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Establishment type
Childcare on non-domestic premises

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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