# The Ark Centre

The Ark Centre is a full-day nursery at The Ark Centre, 36 Main Road, Harwich, CO12 3LU, in Bath Side, Essex. It is registered for 26 children. Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection in June 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-ark-centre-ey312761  
Last checked 30 June 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Full-day nursery
- Address: The Ark Centre, 36 Main Road, Harwich, CO12 3LU
- Registered places: 26
- Ofsted URN: EY312761

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection on 24 June 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

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

Safeguarding effective.

Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY312761

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since July 2005 (Reference EY312761). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY312761)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 24 June 2025). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY312761)
- Registered places: 26 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY312761)
- Food hygiene rating: 5 (Very good) (inspected 30 September 2026). Source: Food Standards Agency, checked 13 November 2026 (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1824768)

## Fees

Fees, hours and ages: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

Opening hours and ages: not published yet.

## Getting there

Address: The Ark Centre, 36 Main Road, Harwich, CO12 3LU

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.943016,1.287312

- Station: Harwich Town, under 0.1 miles
- Station: Dovercourt, 0.4 miles
- 7 bus stops within 400 m
- Park: Cox's Pond, under 0.1 miles
- Park: Mayor's Garden, 0.2 miles
- Park: Cliff Park, 0.3 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.1 miles
- Playground: Bathside Play Area, 0.2 miles
- Playground: Cliff Park Play Area, 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


## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery | Primary | 2–11 | Good (October 2023) | yes | 0.3 miles |
| The Mayflower Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | Good (February 2022) |  | 0.8 miles |
| St Joseph's Catholic Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | School remains Good (May 2023) |  | 1.2 miles |
| Spring Meadow Primary School &  Nursery | Primary | 2–11 | Good (February 2024) | yes | 1.4 miles |
| All Saints' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Dovercourt | Primary | 4–11 | Good (April 2024) |  | 1.5 miles |
| Harwich and Dovercourt High School | Secondary | 11–16 | Report card (January 2026) |  | 1.4 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Harwich Connexions Noah's Nursery Ltd](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/harwich-connexions-noahs-nursery-ltd-ey490779) | Good |  |  | 0.3 miles |
| [Harwich Centre Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/harwich-centre-pre-school-ey272636) | Good |  |  | 0.9 miles |
| [Shotley Kidzone](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/shotley-kidzone-251629) | Good |  |  | 2.2 miles |
| [The Peartree Kindergarten (Felixstowe) Ltd](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-peartree-kindergarten-felixstowe-ltd-2805270) |  |  |  | 2.3 miles |
| [Little Hoppers Pre-School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/little-hoppers-pre-school-2815420) |  |  |  | 2.5 miles |
| [Little JeM's Catholic Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/little-jems-catholic-nursery-2661439) | Good |  |  | 2.7 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

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

Ofsted rated The Ark Centre Good at its inspection on 24 June 2025, 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 26 children at any one time.

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

Harwich Town is the nearest station we know of, under 0.1 miles away in a straight line.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY312761)
- 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.