The Ark Pre-School Wantage food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · Vale of White Horse
The Ark Pre-School Wantage holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the care premises met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 20 July 2018, more than 7 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 17 Church Street Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 8BL
How it compares in Vale of White Horse
That puts The Ark Pre-School Wantage among the 764 places in Vale of White Horse holding top marks, 81% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 764 | 81% | ← The Ark Pre-School Wantage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 115 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 49 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 102 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At The Ark Pre-School Wantage none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Ark Pre-School Wantage, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vale & Downland Museum Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 21 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| The Swan Pub/bar/nightclub | 53 yards away | 4 - Good | 31 January 2025 |
| Lesley Ford Hampers Retailers - other | 83 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| Colombia Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2026 |
| Going Green Retailers - other | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2019 |
| Marmalade Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 88 yards away | 4 - Good | 26 March 2025 |
| Sylheti Spice Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 88 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 14 October 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 104 yards away | 4 - Good | 30 September 2025 |
Questions about The Ark Pre-School Wantage
What is The Ark Pre-School Wantage's food hygiene rating?
The Ark Pre-School Wantage has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Vale of White Horse Council on 20 July 2018.
Is The Ark Pre-School Wantage safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this care premises to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Ark Pre-School Wantage last inspected?
The Ark Pre-School Wantage was last inspected on 20 July 2018, more than 7 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Vale of White Horse Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Ark Pre-School Wantage?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Ark Pre-School Wantage compare to other places in Vale of White Horse?
81% of the 940 rated food businesses in Vale of White Horse hold the top rating of 5, and The Ark Pre-School Wantage is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Vale of White Horse Council inspects The Ark Pre-School Wantage and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch The Ark Pre-School Wantage and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Vale of White Horse inspects and rates 1,042 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Vale of White Horse →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →