# The Ark Centre

The Ark Centre is a sessional pre-school at Ark Centre, 15 Springfield Lyons Approach, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 5LB, in Chelmer Village, Essex. It is registered for 6 children. Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection in December 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It has a Google rating of 4.9 from 7 reviews (November 2026).

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-ark-centre-2652830  
Last checked 4 November 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Sessional pre-school
- Address: Ark Centre, 15 Springfield Lyons Approach, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 5LB
- Registered places: 6
- Phone: 01245 467355
- Website: http://thearkcentre.org/
- Ofsted URN: 2652830

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection on 8 December 2023, 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/16/2652830

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since September 2021 (Reference 2652830). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2652830)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 8 December 2023). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2652830)
- Registered places: 6 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2652830)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: Ark Centre, 15 Springfield Lyons Approach, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 5LB

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.747813,0.513449

- Station: Beaulieu Park, 0.7 miles
- 3 bus stops within 400 m
- Park: Chancellor Park Sports Area, 0.5 miles
- Playground: Cornelius Vale Play Area, 0.4 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.4 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.5 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: 4.9 out of 5 from 7 reviews (as of 4 November 2026)

## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | School remains Good (July 2023) |  | 0.6 miles |
| Barnes Farm Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | School remains Good (October 2022) |  | 0.7 miles |
| Chancellor Park Primary School, Chelmsford | Primary | 4–11 | Outstanding (March 2024) |  | 0.7 miles |
| Springfield Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | Report card (March 2026) |  | 0.9 miles |
| The Tyrrells School | Primary | 4–11 | Improved significantly (January 2025) |  | 0.9 miles |
| The Beaulieu Park School | All-through | 4–19 | Outstanding (January 2023) |  | 1.1 miles |
| Perryfields Junior School | Primary | 7–11 | Outstanding (February 2024) |  | 1.1 miles |
| Perryfields Infant School | Primary | 5–7 | School remains Good (October 2022) |  | 1.1 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Buttercup Montessori Kindergarten Ltd](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/buttercup-montessori-kindergarten-ltd-ey542373) | Good |  |  | 0.3 miles |
| [Scallywags Nursery Chelmsford Limited](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/scallywags-nursery-chelmsford-limited-2797886) | Outstanding |  |  | 0.4 miles |
| [Holders Farm Kindergarten](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/holders-farm-kindergarten-203670) | Good |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| [Tiddlywinks Day Nursery & Pre School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/tiddlywinks-day-nursery-and-pre-school-ey283577) | Good |  |  | 0.7 miles |
| [Rainbow Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/rainbow-pre-school-508748) | Good |  |  | 0.9 miles |
| [Beaulieu Park Day Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/beaulieu-park-day-nursery-ey500476) | Good |  |  | 0.9 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is The Ark Centre's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated The Ark Centre Outstanding at its inspection on 8 December 2023, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

### How many children can The Ark Centre take?

The Ark Centre is registered with Ofsted for up to 6 children at any one time.

### What is the nearest station to The Ark Centre?

Beaulieu Park is the nearest station we know of, 0.7 miles away in a straight line.

### How do I contact The Ark Centre?

You can call 01245 467355 and visit thearkcentre.org.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2652830)
- Rating and review themes: Google, as of 4 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=The+Ark+Centre&query_place_id=ChIJU1Qy0iLp2EcR9CIPCbBjfwI)
- 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.