Welcome Nurseries@ Colchester

Inspection of Welcome Nurseries@ Colchester 49 William Harris Way, Colchester, Essex CO2 8WJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children part from their parents and carers with ease. They are greeted with a smile and kind, caring words by the manager, who takes them to their nursery room. Children quickly settle and become actively engaged in their chosen play. They chat confidently with staff and tell them what they have been doing at home and on their way to nursery. Children are keen and active learners. They enjoy exploring the exciting resources available. Their ideas are listened to by staff, who help them to facilitate and develop their interests.

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The provision is good

Children are very well behaved. They understand the nursery routines. For example, they need little prompting to wash their hands before sitting down to eat. Children enjoy listening to and joining in with stories. They make good use of the well-considered resources to extend their engagement with books. For example, they are provided with dried oats to play with, which links to the book 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'. They pretend to make bowls of porridge for the various bears in the library room. Children form close relationships with their key persons and the other staff in their rooms. They are effectively supported when they reach the age or stage of development to move to the next room.

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need to do better?

n During the COVID-19 lockdowns, managers and staff kept in regular contact with families and children who could not attend. They provided ideas for activities that parents could do at home, as well as regular telephone calls to parents to offer support. On return to nursery, staff reassessed the children's needs in order to identify any areas of specific focus for their planning. n Parents speak very highly of the nursery and say that their children really enjoy attending. They talk about the good methods of communication they have with their child's key person. Staff provide parents with a thorough handover at the end of each day and share information about how their child has been and what they have been doing. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are effectively supported. One-to-one support is provided for those children who require it. Parents and carers of children with SEND say that they feel very well supported

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need to do better?

and that the nursery manager helps them to seek additional funding and professional input from agencies outside of the nursery. n There is a strong and secure management structure in place. The senior management team supports the manager and staff well. They often visit to monitor if procedures are being followed and to provide additional training. Managers comment that they are 'empowered' by the senior management team to make their nursery the best it can be. Staff are given incentives to continuously improve their practice, for example, through awards. This has

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need to do better?

22 February 2022 helped to build a strong and consistent staff team, who are dedicated to their job. n Children giggle excitedly as they build platforms and houses from wooden blocks for their toy animals. Staff extend their learning through clear questioning, such as asking 'is it on top or underneath?'. Children have fun making 'mud' from flour, water and cocoa powder. They find the toy animals that they think will enjoy splashing through their mud. Children print the animals' muddy footprints on to paper to compare the sizes and shapes. n Staff are very knowledgeable about the individual children's interests and learning needs. They plan a good range of activities to help children to reach their full potential through experiences that they are interested in. For example, staff recognise that some children enjoy playing with the water from the taps in the room, so they frequently provide water play.

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need to do better?

n Children are provided with a wide selection of learning experiences within the nursery. However, they currently have fewer opportunities to extend their knowledge of the wider community. The manager is hoping to reintroduce walks and outings in the local area now that the restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic have been reduced. n Staff are encouraged to make use of the range of training available to them. The senior management team continuously reviews the staff's training needs. The quality of teaching is generally good. However, it is not yet consistently high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff demonstrate a robust knowledge of their responsibilities to safeguard and protect children. They regularly update their safeguarding knowledge, for example, through training and in-house quizzes. Staff know the signs and symptoms that might alert them to a child being mistreated, including those surrounding radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Clear procedures are in place and staff know how to report any concerns through the nursery management structure and the appropriate outside agencies. Managers follow safer recruitment arrangements when employing new staff.

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should:

n develop further opportunities for staff to raise their professional development to a higher level n enhance the range of experiences that help children to gain a better understanding of the wider community.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2576358 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10226394 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 92 Number of children on roll 96 Name of registered person Welcome Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01206 574402 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Welcome Nurseries @ Colchester registered in 2020. The nursery employs 22 members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff hold an early years degree at level 6, 13 staff hold a qualification at level 3, and one member of staff holds a qualification at level 2. The nursery also employs a chef and a cleaner. It opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Opening times are from 7am until 7pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed all areas of the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the nursery curriculum and what it is that they want the children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while at the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector a selection of relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

22 February 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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