Submit a Review for Orchard Barns Ardleigh
Redbury Barn, Colchester Road, Ardleigh, Colchester, CO7 7PQ
View full details of Orchard Barns ArdleighLatest Reviews for Orchard Barns Ardleigh
05 September 2025
Behind the friendly front, this nursery is run by a head office that puts profits before families.
We stayed loyal to Orchard Barns Ardleigh despite it receiving a poor Ofsted review, because we didn't want to disrupt our children.
That loyalty was rewarded with two fee increases in less than a
year, adding over £3,000 extra for one child.
We rejected the September 2023 increase in writing and asked multiple times to discuss it - no meeting was ever arranged. In our final month we accidentally overpaid (partly because no final invoice was issued) and the nursery has refused to refund the money.
While some of the staff are caring, the management's handling of fees, communication and fairness is unacceptable. I would strongly recommend parents look elsewhere - behind the scenes this nursery is not being run in the best interests of families or children.
10 July 2025
Our children are so so happy at the nursery. The staff are caring and considerate of their and our families needs. I would recommend this nursery and the staff. They work very hard to make the day varied and exciting.
04 July 2025
My son has now been at Orchard Barns for 2.5 years and in that time has grown and developed so much. He has so much fun with his friends and is always so full of beans when I go to pick him up. Now he's in the pre-school room he's in full preparation mode for when he goes to school in September and
I feel really confident he'll be in a great position for that transition. My daughter also recently started at the nursery in the pre-toddlers room. The staff have been really supportive and reassuring as she's been settling in, with plenty of updates during the day which has been really helpful at such an emotional time as I head back to work after maternity leave.
03 July 2025
We've had such a positive experience with this nursery. The staff are warm, caring, and genuinely invested in the children's development. My little one settled in quickly, which really put my mind at ease. Communication is great, and I love the updates and photos we receive-it's lovely seeing what
they get up to each day. The environment is clean, safe, and full of engaging activities. I've seen such a boost in my child's confidence and social skills since starting here. Highly recommend to any parent looking for a nurturing and supportive setting!
02 July 2025
My daughter has attended Orchard Barns for the past 18 months. Any anticipation was very quickly eased as on show around my daughter ran off to play and didn't want to leave. She has completely thrived at Orchard Barns. The staff are very friendly and approachable and help with any thing you need.
They do loads of activities and events throughout the year, including having a photographer in twice a year. My daughter even when she was quite fussy with food, eats everything of Gary's cooking, she loves it. I can't thank the Orchard Barns team enough for all their care and help in enabling our daughter to grow and learn.
02 July 2025
My daughter has been at orchard barns since she was a baby and will be leaving this September to go to school. My son is currently in the pretoddler room. We joined at a time when there was a lot of change within the nursery and it's evident how things have turned around in that time. With new
management and strong room leadership, we've really seen a change in the nursery. Both of my children absolutely love going in, and have really strong relationships with all the staff. I always feel like I can discuss anything with their key people and feel reassured that we are working in partnership to support my children. The space itself is lovely with a big outdoor garden and outdoor classrooms for each room. There are always interesting activities going on and both of my children have developed really quickly. I know my daughter will really miss going and will particularly miss all the staff who she loves. Highly recommend and definitely worth a visit.
01 September 2023
The staff at Orchard Barns have been lovely and so supportive of our daughter who started there as a baby and has now reached the age of 4 and has left to start primary school.
We are very grateful to you all for helping our daughter grow into the lovely little girl that she is! She definitely is
ready for school, thanks to you all, but already misses all of the lovely staff and her friends from “Barns” as she still calls it!
I hope you continue to be popular and a wonderful place for young people to thrive.
06 July 2023
The staff team at the nursery are amazing. They are willing to support and be a listening ear with family concerns. The staff are kind and caring. I can not thank them enough for supporting my daughter and getting her the help that she needs and deserves.
27 June 2023
My son is always very happy to attend nursery, never hesitates to run into the classroom!
The staff are always happy and friendly and have really taken the time to get to know him and understand his daily routine.
He has progressed significantly since starting at Orchard Barns and I’m always
surprised when he comes home with something new to show me.
27 June 2023
My son has only been coming to the setting since October last year but we can already see a huge difference in his confidence and overall self. This is because of the care he receives from all staff at Orchard Barns Ardleigh. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a childcare
setting for their child.
26 September 2022
My daughter enjoys her time at Orchard Barns so much. Everyday at pick up she has a huge smile on her face and she has made so many friends. She adores the staff and always enjoys her meals. I throughly recommend this nursery.
06 August 2021
My great-grandson adores the nursery. When we pick him up, the staff are so lovely and friendly. They have recently climbed up Mount Snowdon to raise money for three of the children who attend the nursery. Couldn’t wish for a better team to look after the children.
02 August 2021
We are so happy we have found such a supportive nursery with fantastic staff. Our child, who has complex needs, has never phased the staff, and they have created a wonderful environment for her to thrive in. I cannot recommend this nursery enough.
10 May 2021
I would one hundred per cent recommend Orchard Barns Ardleigh. They have been amazing with supporting my child from fourteen months old. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they have a great understanding of my child’s needs and will do anything to help develop him.
12 March 2021
My daughter absolutely loves attending Orchard Barns Ardleigh, she is always so happy to go in and has the best time. I would highly recommend them, she has settled in so quickly and the portal for communication is so helpful, it's lovely to see what she gets up to every day.
15 January 2021
Orchard Barns is an extremely friendly nursery, my daughter has settled well after changing to this nursery, they provide and create such amazing activities for the children to partake in to help them learn through playing and encouraging their imagination. They are attentive to the children’s needs
and provide healthy meals throughout the day. The outdoor space is lovely with plenty to do for all ages. I would highly recommend this nursery.
11 January 2021
My grandson attends the nursery. He has become a very confident little boy since joining. The staff are amazing and very welcoming. The standard of care is second to none and I would highly recommend. He is always talking about the lunches he receives which are cooked daily on-site by the chef.
11 January 2021
Our son has absolutely thrived at Orchard Barns. They approach each child individually and ensure all their needs are met. Support for parents is also more than expected. The whole team are outstanding.
07 January 2021
Fantastic setting. I always enjoy picking up my godson from here as the staff are so lovely and helpful. The menu is very diverse and offers a range of quality food. The nursery is very efficient in keeping us up to date with the current situation and guidance.
19 November 2020
My son started at Orchard Barns when he was 6 months old and finished when he turned 4. Going back to work and having to leave your 6-month-old child with people is a tough thing to deal with as a parent. However, I can honestly say the team at Orchards Barns exceeded expectations in all areas. The
consistent information they give you via parent zone (app on your phone) to the kindness they give you at the door at drop off and pick up. I am a musician and they welcomed me in when my son was a year to come and play some songs to the little ones. Food that was served was something that I daily felt jealous of when looking at my own lunch. My son learnt so much during his time and I loved watching him soak it all up. I feel they helped shape his personality and confidence that he has. They fully got him up to speed in a difficult 2020 so he was ready for school. Not only did they care for my son but they showed him love. My daughter starts next year and I cant wait. Wonderful kind people.
Latest Reviews for Orchard Barns Ardleigh
05 September 2025
Behind the friendly front, this nursery is run by a head office that puts profits before families.
We stayed loyal to Orchard Barns Ardleigh despite it receiving a poor Ofsted review, because we didn't want to disrupt our children.
That loyalty was rewarded with two fee increases in less than a
year, adding over £3,000 extra for one child.
We rejected the September 2023 increase in writing and asked multiple times to discuss it - no meeting was ever arranged. In our final month we accidentally overpaid (partly because no final invoice was issued) and the nursery has refused to refund the money.
While some of the staff are caring, the management's handling of fees, communication and fairness is unacceptable. I would strongly recommend parents look elsewhere - behind the scenes this nursery is not being run in the best interests of families or children.
10 July 2025
Our children are so so happy at the nursery. The staff are caring and considerate of their and our families needs. I would recommend this nursery and the staff. They work very hard to make the day varied and exciting.
04 July 2025
My son has now been at Orchard Barns for 2.5 years and in that time has grown and developed so much. He has so much fun with his friends and is always so full of beans when I go to pick him up. Now he's in the pre-school room he's in full preparation mode for when he goes to school in September and
I feel really confident he'll be in a great position for that transition. My daughter also recently started at the nursery in the pre-toddlers room. The staff have been really supportive and reassuring as she's been settling in, with plenty of updates during the day which has been really helpful at such an emotional time as I head back to work after maternity leave.
03 July 2025
We've had such a positive experience with this nursery. The staff are warm, caring, and genuinely invested in the children's development. My little one settled in quickly, which really put my mind at ease. Communication is great, and I love the updates and photos we receive-it's lovely seeing what
they get up to each day. The environment is clean, safe, and full of engaging activities. I've seen such a boost in my child's confidence and social skills since starting here. Highly recommend to any parent looking for a nurturing and supportive setting!
02 July 2025
My daughter has attended Orchard Barns for the past 18 months. Any anticipation was very quickly eased as on show around my daughter ran off to play and didn't want to leave. She has completely thrived at Orchard Barns. The staff are very friendly and approachable and help with any thing you need.
They do loads of activities and events throughout the year, including having a photographer in twice a year. My daughter even when she was quite fussy with food, eats everything of Gary's cooking, she loves it. I can't thank the Orchard Barns team enough for all their care and help in enabling our daughter to grow and learn.
02 July 2025
My daughter has been at orchard barns since she was a baby and will be leaving this September to go to school. My son is currently in the pretoddler room. We joined at a time when there was a lot of change within the nursery and it's evident how things have turned around in that time. With new
management and strong room leadership, we've really seen a change in the nursery. Both of my children absolutely love going in, and have really strong relationships with all the staff. I always feel like I can discuss anything with their key people and feel reassured that we are working in partnership to support my children. The space itself is lovely with a big outdoor garden and outdoor classrooms for each room. There are always interesting activities going on and both of my children have developed really quickly. I know my daughter will really miss going and will particularly miss all the staff who she loves. Highly recommend and definitely worth a visit.
01 September 2023
The staff at Orchard Barns have been lovely and so supportive of our daughter who started there as a baby and has now reached the age of 4 and has left to start primary school.
We are very grateful to you all for helping our daughter grow into the lovely little girl that she is! She definitely is
ready for school, thanks to you all, but already misses all of the lovely staff and her friends from “Barns” as she still calls it!
I hope you continue to be popular and a wonderful place for young people to thrive.
06 July 2023
The staff team at the nursery are amazing. They are willing to support and be a listening ear with family concerns. The staff are kind and caring. I can not thank them enough for supporting my daughter and getting her the help that she needs and deserves.
27 June 2023
My son is always very happy to attend nursery, never hesitates to run into the classroom!
The staff are always happy and friendly and have really taken the time to get to know him and understand his daily routine.
He has progressed significantly since starting at Orchard Barns and I’m always
surprised when he comes home with something new to show me.
27 June 2023
My son has only been coming to the setting since October last year but we can already see a huge difference in his confidence and overall self. This is because of the care he receives from all staff at Orchard Barns Ardleigh. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a childcare
setting for their child.
26 September 2022
My daughter enjoys her time at Orchard Barns so much. Everyday at pick up she has a huge smile on her face and she has made so many friends. She adores the staff and always enjoys her meals. I throughly recommend this nursery.
06 August 2021
My great-grandson adores the nursery. When we pick him up, the staff are so lovely and friendly. They have recently climbed up Mount Snowdon to raise money for three of the children who attend the nursery. Couldn’t wish for a better team to look after the children.
02 August 2021
We are so happy we have found such a supportive nursery with fantastic staff. Our child, who has complex needs, has never phased the staff, and they have created a wonderful environment for her to thrive in. I cannot recommend this nursery enough.
10 May 2021
I would one hundred per cent recommend Orchard Barns Ardleigh. They have been amazing with supporting my child from fourteen months old. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they have a great understanding of my child’s needs and will do anything to help develop him.
12 March 2021
My daughter absolutely loves attending Orchard Barns Ardleigh, she is always so happy to go in and has the best time. I would highly recommend them, she has settled in so quickly and the portal for communication is so helpful, it's lovely to see what she gets up to every day.
15 January 2021
Orchard Barns is an extremely friendly nursery, my daughter has settled well after changing to this nursery, they provide and create such amazing activities for the children to partake in to help them learn through playing and encouraging their imagination. They are attentive to the children’s needs
and provide healthy meals throughout the day. The outdoor space is lovely with plenty to do for all ages. I would highly recommend this nursery.
11 January 2021
My grandson attends the nursery. He has become a very confident little boy since joining. The staff are amazing and very welcoming. The standard of care is second to none and I would highly recommend. He is always talking about the lunches he receives which are cooked daily on-site by the chef.
11 January 2021
Our son has absolutely thrived at Orchard Barns. They approach each child individually and ensure all their needs are met. Support for parents is also more than expected. The whole team are outstanding.
07 January 2021
Fantastic setting. I always enjoy picking up my godson from here as the staff are so lovely and helpful. The menu is very diverse and offers a range of quality food. The nursery is very efficient in keeping us up to date with the current situation and guidance.
19 November 2020
My son started at Orchard Barns when he was 6 months old and finished when he turned 4. Going back to work and having to leave your 6-month-old child with people is a tough thing to deal with as a parent. However, I can honestly say the team at Orchards Barns exceeded expectations in all areas. The
consistent information they give you via parent zone (app on your phone) to the kindness they give you at the door at drop off and pick up. I am a musician and they welcomed me in when my son was a year to come and play some songs to the little ones. Food that was served was something that I daily felt jealous of when looking at my own lunch. My son learnt so much during his time and I loved watching him soak it all up. I feel they helped shape his personality and confidence that he has. They fully got him up to speed in a difficult 2020 so he was ready for school. Not only did they care for my son but they showed him love. My daughter starts next year and I cant wait. Wonderful kind people.