Castle Nursery food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Braintree
Castle Nursery holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the school kitchen met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
This is a fresh result: Castle Nursery was inspected on 22 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Kirby Hall Road, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3EA
How it compares in Braintree
That puts Castle Nursery among the 980 places in Braintree holding top marks, 85% 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 | 980 | 85% | ← Castle Nursery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 125 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 34 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 111 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Castle Nursery 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 Castle Nursery, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Vere Primary School School/college/university | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| The Elms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Bell Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| Castle Hedingham Village Shop Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 May 2024 |
| The Good Place Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2025 |
| Shell Hedingham Londis Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Hedingham Castle Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2024 |
| The Mansion House (kitchen) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2016 |
Questions about Castle Nursery
What is Castle Nursery's food hygiene rating?
Castle Nursery has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Braintree Council on 22 June 2026.
Is Castle Nursery 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 school kitchen to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Castle Nursery last inspected?
Castle Nursery was last inspected on 22 June 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Braintree Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Castle Nursery?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Castle Nursery compare to other places in Braintree?
85% of the 1,156 rated food businesses in Braintree hold the top rating of 5, and Castle Nursery is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Braintree Council inspects Castle Nursery 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 Castle Nursery and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Braintree inspects and rates 1,267 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Braintree →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.braintree.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 →