Step Start Nurseries Heybridge food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Maldon
Step Start Nurseries Heybridge holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The school kitchen met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 11 March 2026, 4 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: Bentalls Complex, Colchester Road, Heybridge
How it compares in Maldon
In Maldon, 88% of rated places manage a 5, so Step Start Nurseries Heybridge sits behind roughly 557 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 517 | 88% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 40 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 27 | 5% | ← Step Start Nurseries Heybridge | |
| 2 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 89 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Step Start Nurseries Heybridge 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 Step Start Nurseries Heybridge, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Pharmacy Bentalls Centre Retailers - other | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 September 2024 |
| Heybridge General Store Retailers - other | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2025 |
| Crispy Bacon Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 177 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 January 2025 |
| Firstlings Residential Home Caring Premises | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Copsey Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 187 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Maltsters Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 187 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 October 2023 |
| Bengal Nights Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 347 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Le Bouchon Brasserie And Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 347 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2025 |
Questions about Step Start Nurseries Heybridge
What is Step Start Nurseries Heybridge's food hygiene rating?
Step Start Nurseries Heybridge has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Maldon Council on 11 March 2026.
Is Step Start Nurseries Heybridge safe to eat at?
A 3 means the school kitchen met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Step Start Nurseries Heybridge last inspected?
Step Start Nurseries Heybridge was last inspected on 11 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maldon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Step Start Nurseries Heybridge?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Step Start Nurseries Heybridge compare to other places in Maldon?
88% of the 588 rated food businesses in Maldon hold the top rating of 5, while Step Start Nurseries Heybridge holds a 3. 27 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Maldon Council inspects Step Start Nurseries Heybridge 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 Step Start Nurseries Heybridge and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Step Start Nurseries Heybridge is one of 45 rated food businesses in Heybridge. See every hygiene rating in Heybridge →
Maldon inspects and rates 677 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maldon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maldon.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 →