Highams Park Pre-School food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · Waltham Forest
Highams Park Pre-School holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the care premises and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 11 February 2026, 5 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Handsworth Primary School 32 - 34 Handsworth Avenue, Chingford, E4 9PJ
How it compares in Waltham Forest
A 1 is rare: only 131 of 1,865 rated places in Waltham Forest score this low, about one in 14. By contrast 51% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ← Highams Park Pre-School | |
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Highams Park Pre-School the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Highams Park Pre-School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biba and Wren Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 156 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2025 |
| 1 The Avenue Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 223 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Barrel & Havana Retailers - other | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
| Amara Bakery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2026 |
| Aroma Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2024 |
| Avon House School School/college/university | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2025 |
| Better Coffee Corner Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2026 |
| Aramark at Waltham Forest College Cafes School/college/university | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
Questions about Highams Park Pre-School
What is Highams Park Pre-School's food hygiene rating?
Highams Park Pre-School has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Waltham Forest Council on 11 February 2026.
Is Highams Park Pre-School safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The care premises is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Highams Park Pre-School last inspected?
Highams Park Pre-School was last inspected on 11 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Highams Park Pre-School?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Highams Park Pre-School compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while Highams Park Pre-School holds a 1. 131 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects Highams Park Pre-School 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 Highams Park Pre-School 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Waltham Forest, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Waltham Forest
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Highams Park Pre-School is one of 355 rated food businesses in Chingford. See every hygiene rating in Chingford →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →