Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Outstanding Early Education for Children Aged 2-4 in Chelmsford
Established in 1946, Tanglewood Nursery School is a Local Authority Maintained Nursery School in Chelmsford, Essex, providing high-quality early education for children aged 2 to 4 years. Rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, our dedicated team of highly qualified teachers and practitioners fosters a nurturing environment where children develop confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of learning. We prioritize structured routines, personalized support, and dynamic learning opportunities through our 'In the Moment Planning' approach, ensuring children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our facilities include three well-resourced classrooms, outdoor gardens, and Forest Garden spaces that enrich learning experiences.We maintain strong partnerships with families, offering transparent communication and flexible session options, including extended days aligned with government funding schemes. Committed to safeguarding and inclusivity, we support children with special educational needs through tailored strategies while adhering to rigorous quality standards. Our ethos of 'Play, Learn, and Grow Together' reflects our dedication to creating a joyful, secure foundation for every child's educational journey.
Services
Early Years Education
Extended Sessions
30-Hour Funding
SEND Support
Forest Garden Learning
Details
- Year established: 1946
Highlights and features
- We deliver Ofsted-rated 'Outstanding' early education with 75+ years of expertise.
- Our staff maintain a 1:8 adult-to-child ratio for personalized attention.
- We offer flexible funded and paid sessions, including extended-day options.
- Our curriculum integrates outdoor learning in purpose-built Forest Garden spaces.
- We prioritize seamless transitions and strong home-school partnerships for families.
What people say
Outstanding early education
Highly qualified staff
Nurturing environment
Excellent parent partnerships
Creative learning opportunities
Services
Early Years Education
Our play-based curriculum for 2-4-year-olds focuses on holistic development through structured routines and child-led exploration. Highly qualified staff facilitate learning in literacy, numeracy, creativity, and social skills while maintaining a 1:8 adult-to-child ratio. The program aligns with Ofsted standards and incorporates regular progress assessments.
Extended Sessions
Flexible extended-day options combine core funded sessions with additional hours from 9am-3:45pm. These sessions include lunch provision and align with 30-hour government funding eligibility. Fees apply for non-funded places, ensuring continuity of care for working families requiring extended support.
SEND Support
Specialized support for children with additional needs includes tailored learning plans and dedicated 'butterfly' staff rotations. We implement individualized strategies while maintaining integration within mainstream classes of 26 children, ensuring both personalized attention and social development opportunities.
Forest Garden Learning
Daily outdoor activities in our purpose-built Forest Garden promote physical development and environmental awareness. Children engage in seasonal exploration, risk-assessed play, and nature-based projects that complement indoor learning while developing motor skills and resilience.
Parent Partnerships
We maintain transparent communication through Tapestry online journals, regular updates via the Greenhouse app, and structured transition programs. Parents receive guidance on home learning, funding applications, and health protocols to ensure consistent support across home and nursery environments.
People
Debs Watson
Headteacher
With extensive early years leadership experience, Debs Watson oversees Tanglewood's educational strategy and staff development. She ensures adherence to Ofsted standards while maintaining the school's nurturing ethos established since 1946.
Donna MacDonald
Deputy Head
Donna MacDonald supports operational management and curriculum implementation. Her focus includes staff mentoring and maintaining the school's high-quality standards across all classroom environments for children aged 2-4.
Rose Harmer
Inclusion Manager
Rose Harmer specializes in supporting children with special educational needs. She coordinates individualized learning plans and collaborates with external agencies to ensure comprehensive support within mainstream nursery settings.
Questions
What are your eligibility requirements for 2-year-old funding?
Eligibility requires a government-issued funding code. Apply online through Essex County Council the term before your child's second birthday. We accept both 15-hour and 30-hour funding schemes.
How do you support children's transition to nursery?
We implement gradual settling-in periods with parent collaboration. Staff provide personalized orientation sessions and maintain consistent routines to ensure children feel secure in their new environment.
What happens during outdoor learning sessions?
Children engage in daily outdoor activities regardless of weather. Our Forest Garden offers structured play, nature exploration, and physical development opportunities with appropriate clothing requirements for all seasons.
How do you communicate with parents?
We use the Greenhouse School App for real-time updates, Tapestry online journals for learning records, and email communications. Regular newsletters and event reminders ensure parents stay informed about their child's progress.
What are your session timings and flexibility options?
Morning sessions run 9am-12pm, afternoons 12:45pm-3:45pm. We offer 2-5 sessions weekly for Little Tanglewood and fixed 5-day blocks for main Tanglewood, with extended-day options available.
How do you handle illness and attendance policies?
Children must stay home for 48 hours after sickness, diarrhoea, or antibiotic treatment. We follow NHS guidelines for infectious diseases and maintain strict hygiene protocols to protect all children and staff.
Reviews (4)
Rachel Claire Rollingson
Aug 23, 2021
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Tanglewood Nursery School are amazing, I couldn’t recommend them more! My 3 year old boy has autism, and they have been brilliant with him! I found the staff to be so knowledgable and extremely supportive of him and myself. The development and positive changes in him have been amazing. And he’s become so confident and happy to go in each morning, which is so lovely to see!
Chanelle Wright
Jul 30, 2021
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If I could keep my son here another year I would.
Tanglewood are FANTASTIC. They tailor-make play and learning for every child, and work with parents to allow children to thrive ready for their journey to school. My son has loved every minute. It took a while for him to come out of his shell, but the team were lovely and encouraging and he was soon happily playing and learning. The team are so supportive and approachable and spend all of their time coming up with ways to spread joy. The nursery is a lovely environment to be in, its always happy and all about the children. We are often
Tanglewood are FANTASTIC. They tailor-make play and learning for every child, and work with parents to allow children to thrive ready for their journey to school. My son has loved every minute. It took a while for him to come out of his shell, but the team were lovely and encouraging and he was soon happily playing and learning. The team are so supportive and approachable and spend all of their time coming up with ways to spread joy. The nursery is a lovely environment to be in, its always happy and all about the children. We are often
Geraldine Bailey
Jul 29, 2021
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Positive:Professionalism,Reliability
My little boy absolutely loves little tanglewood I would highly recommend it! The staff are amazing and go above and beyond to make it a wonderful place to be! My daughter also went to main tanglewood she loved it and wishes she could go back! Fantastic nursery.
My little boy absolutely loves little tanglewood I would highly recommend it! The staff are amazing and go above and beyond to make it a wonderful place to be! My daughter also went to main tanglewood she loved it and wishes she could go back! Fantastic nursery.
Babu Stephan
Jul 21, 2021
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Today was the final day of our youngest son Jude Stephan in Tanglewood. We have been frequenting Tanglewood since September 2015 with our eldest son Noel. All our boys, Noel, Juan & Jude, had their pre-schooling in Tanglewood and they all absolutely loved it. Jude started with Little Tanglewood in April 2019, and as he was born in September, luckily had an additional year there in Tanglewood. Excellent facilities, wonderful staff and friendly environment the hallmark of Tanglewood Nursery school. A big thank you to the fantastic staff have to mention the ever-smiling Ms. Debs Watson, the
