Ark Start, Oval
Ark Oval Primary Academy, 98 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, CR0 6BA
Run by Ark UK Programmes What Ofsted found
Good Inspected 21 March 2023
| Judgement | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall effectiveness | Good |
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
The second of the four grades: a good standard of care and learning. Ofsted now gives report cards instead, so this grade stays until the next inspection.
What a place could cost
Ark Start, Oval sets its own prices. These are the averages for day nurseries in Outer London, for 50 hours a week in term time once the 30 funded hours are taken off.
| Child's age | You pay a week | About a month |
|---|---|---|
| From 9 months to 2 | £171 | £543 |
| 2 years old | £173 | £547 |
| 3 to 4 years old | £158 | £501 |
A month here is 38 term-time weeks spread over 12 months. Work out your own hours or check your free hours.
Ark Start, Oval against Croydon
| Ark Start, Oval | Croydon average | |
|---|---|---|
| Places | 39 | 54 |
| Ofsted outcome | Good | 74% rated Good or better |
Other nurseries close by
- Funshine Day Nursery Outstanding, 38 places, CR0 8DS
- The Wood Shed Forest School and Nursery Outstanding, 21 places, CR0 9AA
- Play Place Wayside Nursery Expected standard in 5 of 6, 50 places, CR0 9DX
Ark Start, Oval is run by Ark UK Programmes, which has 9 nurseries in England and 0 rated Outstanding. See its nurseries in Croydon.
Questions parents ask about Ark Start, Oval
- What Ofsted grade does Ark Start, Oval have?
- Ark Start, Oval was rated Good at its inspection on 21 March 2023, under the grading Ofsted used before report cards.
- How many children can Ark Start, Oval take?
- Ofsted registers Ark Start, Oval for 39 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Croydon has 54.
- How much does Ark Start, Oval cost?
- Ark Start, Oval sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in Outer London charges £217 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.
- Does Ark Start, Oval offer 30 hours free childcare?
- Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask Ark Start, Oval how it offers them.
- When was Ark Start, Oval last inspected?
- Ofsted last inspected Ark Start, Oval on 21 March 2023. The full report is on the Ofsted website.
- Is Ark Start, Oval part of a nursery group?
- Yes. Ark Start, Oval is one of 9 day nurseries in England run by Ark UK Programmes.
Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.
Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.
Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.