Ofsted: Expected standard or betterYou're hereTadpoles Pre-School
CO6 1EJ · Nursery
Tadpoles Pre-School
- Ofsted: Expected standard or better · Mar 2026
- COLCHESTER CO6
In short: a nursery in COLCHESTER, open since 1997, with room for 26 children. Ofsted last visited in March 2026. Nurseries publish far less than schools, so this page sticks to the facts we hold and what to ask on a visit.
Good to know
- Behaviour, attitudes and routines: Strong standard at Ofsted's inspection in March 2026.
- Registered with Ofsted, which last inspected it in March 2026.
- Room for 26 children at a time.
Worth checking
- Little data. Nurseries publish far less than schools, so a visit matters more.
- Last Ofsted visitMar 2026less than a year ago
- Places26children at a time
- Opened199729 years ago
Ofsted
What Ofsted found in Mar 2026
Ofsted no longer gives one overall grade. It rates each area on a five-point scale, from urgent improvement to exceptional, and checks whether safeguarding is met. The scale is new, so it can't be read straight across from old grades such as Good or Outstanding.
Every Ofsted visit
Choose a year to see the visit.
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in 2025.
What Ofsted found in September 2015
Read the 2015 report on OfstedWhat Ofsted found in March 2025
- SafeguardingEffective
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- LeadershipRequires improvement
What Ofsted found in March 2026
- SafeguardingMet
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and routinesStrong standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Earlier visits
- 12 Oct 2011GoodReport
The report card scale, in plain English
- Exceptional
- The very best practice, given rarely.
- Strong standard
- Better than Ofsted expects.
- Expected standard
- What Ofsted expects of every setting.
- Needs attention
- Some things must get better.
- Urgent improvement
- Serious problems to fix straight away.
Funded childcare
How many free hours could your child get?
These are the national rules. Ask Tadpoles Pre-School which funded hours it offers, and what costs extra, like meals and trips.
15 hours for every 3 and 4 year old
Every child in England gets 15 funded hours a week in term time from the term after they turn 3.
Up to 30 hours for working parents
If you work, you may get 30 funded hours a week for children from 9 months old. Apply through Childcare Choices.
15 hours for some 2 year olds
Families on some benefits can get 15 hours a week from the term after their child turns 2.
Tax-Free Childcare
For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £2,000 a year per child.
Check what you can get at Childcare Choices.
Day to day
Life at Tadpoles Pre-School
Open day
What to ask when you visit
Based on what the data says about Tadpoles Pre-School. Take this list with you.
- 1“What are your opening hours, and do you close in the holidays?”We don't hold opening hours for nurseries.
- 2“How many funded hours can you offer, and what costs extra?”Funded hours are free, but meals and extras can cost money.
- 3“Who will look after my child, and how long have they worked here?”Staff who stay make a big difference to young children.
- 4“How do you support children who need extra help?”Every nursery has to support children with special educational needs.
Nearby
See all Essex nurseriesOther nurseries nearby
Popular nurseries fill up, so it's wise to list more than one. Here's how Tadpoles Pre-School compares with its neighbours.
Ofsted: Expected standard or betterYou're here
Ofsted: Good
Ofsted: GoodKeep an eye on Tadpoles Pre-School
We'll email you when there's a new Ofsted report, new results or new admissions figures. Nothing else.
The basics
School details
- Type
- Nursery
- Opened
- August 1997
- Council
- Essex
- Address
- Marks Tey Parish Hall, Old London Road, Marks Tey, COLCHESTER, CO6 1EJ
- Ofsted reference (URN)
- 402107 · See it on the government register
Questions
Questions parents ask
Is Tadpoles Pre-School a good nursery?
Ofsted's March 2026 report card gives no overall grade. Strong standard: Behaviour, attitudes and routines. Expected standard: Inclusion, Curriculum and teaching, Achievement, Children's welfare and wellbeing, Leadership and governance. Safeguarding met the required standard. Visit, and read the latest inspection report.
What is Tadpoles Pre-School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted's March 2026 report card gives no overall grade. Strong standard: Behaviour, attitudes and routines. Expected standard: Inclusion, Curriculum and teaching, Achievement, Children's welfare and wellbeing, Leadership and governance. Safeguarding met the required standard. Report cards grade each area from Urgent improvement, Needs attention and Expected standard up to Strong standard and Exceptional. The full report on Ofsted's website explains what it does well and what it needs to improve.
How many free hours can my child get?
Every 3 and 4 year old in England can get 15 funded hours a week in term time. Working parents can get up to 30 hours a week from 9 months old. Check what this nursery offers.
Sources: Department for Education school performance tables, school census and workforce, academy accounts, admissions statistics, Ofsted and ISI. Photos are stand-ins. School details and inspections checked against official records on 5 November 2026.