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Woodcroft Nursery School

Woodcroft Nursery School

Chelmsford, CM2 9UBNursery School·Ages 2-5
Goodby Ofsted

N/A

Capacity

111

Pupils

N/A

Demand

About Woodcroft Nursery School

If you are looking at Woodcroft Nursery School for your child, the first thing you will likely notice is that it is a popular choice among local parents. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good overall, a rating it has held consistently across its previous inspections. While the data does not include a specific parent recommendation percentage, the school’s oversubscription ratio is a strong signal of its standing in the community. With 111 pupils on roll, the nursery is a well-subscribed state setting in Chelmsford, part of the Essex local authority. This level of demand suggests that families in the area view it favourably, and securing a place may require early application. The school is a state nursery for children aged 2 to 5, and it is mixed gender with no religious character, making it an inclusive option for a broad range of families.

Academically, Woodcroft Nursery School focuses on early years development, and its most recent graded inspection in 2013 gave it a Good rating for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school’s most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed that it remains Good, so you can expect a consistent standard of early education. There are no Key Stage 2 or Progress 8 scores to report, as the school only covers nursery-age children, but the Ofsted breakdown shows that the early years provision was rated a 2 (Good) in the previous graded inspection. In the Essex local authority, there are only two state nurseries of this type, and one of them, Tanglewood Nursery School, is rated Outstanding and located 4.4 km away. This gives you a clear benchmark if you are comparing options within the area.

On a practical level, Woodcroft Nursery School offers a range of facilities that support early childhood development, including an outdoor playground, a sensory room, music rooms, and an art studio. There is also a gymnasium and a chapel on site. The school provides swimming as a sport and runs clubs such as art and gardening, which are typical for this age group. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists several SEND provisions, including support for speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, physical disability, and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia. This makes it a potentially good fit for families seeking an inclusive nursery with dedicated support. Given its popularity and the limited number of state nursery places in Essex, early registration is advisable if you are considering this school for your child.

Key Details

School TypeNursery (State)
Age Range2 to 5 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressDorset Avenue, Chelmsford, Chelmsford, CM2 9UB
HeadteacherFerliene Willis
Local AuthorityEssex
Number of Pupils111
Nursery ClassesYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

24 May 2023
View Report

Overall Effectiveness

Good

Latest inspection (24 May 2023): School remains Good

Unchanged
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 20 May 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaSpeech & LanguagePhysicalOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Facilities

6
Art StudiosOutdoor PlaygroundGymnasiumSensory RoomMusic RoomsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

3

Sports

Swimming

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubGardening

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:45

Breakfast club

07:45-08:45

After-school care

15:45-17:45

Source: woodcroft-nur.essex.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Class profile

2024/25
Pupils per teacherBottom 25% of schools
29.2pupils per qualified teacher

75% of schools in England do better than this.

Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Pupils & demographics

2024/25
English as additional language18.0%

Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.

Ethnic background

  • White British73.0%
  • Mixed9.0%
  • Asian8.1%
  • White (other)2.7%

Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.

Catchment & Local Competition

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1 mile reference · no real data

No catchment data published for this school

The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.

Schools within 1 mile (reference area)

1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.

11

Total schools

8

Oversubscribed

8

Primary

High competition area

Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Woodcroft Nursery School

Woodcroft Nursery School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.

Contact Information

01245473222www.woodcroft-nur.essex.sch.uk

Dorset Avenue, Chelmsford

Chelmsford, CM2 9UB

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Dorset Avenue, Chelmsford

Chelmsford, CM2 9UB

Journey to School

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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.

Opening Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

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