# Caterpillars Pre-School

Caterpillars Pre-School is a full-day nursery at Birch C of E School, School Hill, Birch, COLCHESTER, CO2 0LZ, in Birch Green, Essex. It is registered for 16 children. Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection in June 2022, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 1 review (November 2026). It is run by Caterpillars Pre-School.

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/caterpillars-pre-school-ey422633  
Last checked 4 November 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Full-day nursery
- Address: Birch C of E School, School Hill, Birch, COLCHESTER, CO2 0LZ
- Registered places: 16
- Phone: 07840 857592
- Website: https://www.caterpillarspreschool.org/birch
- Run by: [Caterpillars Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/groups/caterpillars-pre-school)
- Ofsted URN: EY422633

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection on 28 June 2022, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

- Quality of education: Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
- Personal development: Outstanding
- Leadership and management: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective.

Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY422633

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since December 2010 (Reference EY422633). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY422633)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 28 June 2022). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY422633)
- Registered places: 16 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY422633)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: Birch C of E School, School Hill, Birch, COLCHESTER, CO2 0LZ

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.843963,0.817738

- 2 bus stops within 400 m
- Playground: Playground, 0.4 miles

NaPTAN, Department for Transport, checked 13 November 2026 · © OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026.

## Places and next steps

Spaces: not published yet.

In Essex there are about 2.9 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces. Source: ONS Census 2021.

When to apply: https://toddly.co.uk/when-to-apply-for-nursery

## Ratings

- Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 1 review (as of 4 November 2026)

## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | Standards maintained (February 2025) |  | under 0.1 miles |
| Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | School remains Good (February 2023) |  | 1.6 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Layer Preschool](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/layer-preschool-203940) | Good |  |  | 1.6 miles |
| [Centre Preschool (Colchester) CIO](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/centre-preschool-colchester-cio-2797442) |  |  |  | 2.7 miles |
| [Stanway Pre-school](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/stanway-pre-school-2784037) |  |  |  | 2.7 miles |
| [The Old Schoolhouse Kindergarten](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-old-schoolhouse-kindergarten-402180) | Good |  |  | 2.8 miles |
| [Tadpoles Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/tadpoles-pre-school-402107) | Report card Mar 2026 |  |  | 2.8 miles |
| [Busy Bees Day Nursery at Colchester Stanway](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/busy-bees-day-nursery-at-colchester-stanway-ey308705) | Good |  |  | 2.8 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Caterpillars Pre-School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Caterpillars Pre-School Outstanding at its inspection on 28 June 2022, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

### How many children can Caterpillars Pre-School take?

Caterpillars Pre-School is registered with Ofsted for up to 16 children at any one time.

### Who runs Caterpillars Pre-School?

Caterpillars Pre-School is run by Caterpillars Pre-School, which runs 2 nurseries.

### How do I contact Caterpillars Pre-School?

You can call 07840 857592 and visit www.caterpillarspreschool.org.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY422633)
- Rating and review themes: Google, as of 4 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Caterpillars+Pre-School+Birch&query_place_id=ChIJ6betPpAd2UcRa_5sOAl52iM)
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools, as of 4 November 2026 (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.