Plume Avenue Nursery

Inspection of Plume Avenue Nursery United Reformed Church, Plume Avenue, COLCHESTER CO3 4PQ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

There have been clear improvements since the last inspection. The provider has embraced support from the local authority and has worked hard to implement the required changes. Staff have been supported through ongoing training and staff meetings. As a result, the whole team is motivated and continues to reflect on the service it provides to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

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The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy their time in the setting. Staff are polite and respectful to children and are good role models. They are attentive to the needs of the children, who approach them for support, comfort, or to share their news. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and have implemented positive behaviour strategies. As a result, children behave well.

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The provision is good

The team has reflected on the learning they provide for the children and have implemented an ambitious curriculum for all children who attend. Staff know the children well and can devise appropriate next steps to support their development. Children spend extended periods engaging in activities. They lead and develop their play as they wish. Staff use their interactions during these times to promote the next steps in children's learning. As a result, all children, make progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide a range of activities and experiences children are eager to participate in that link to their developmental needs. They engage with children during play and extend their learning and promote their next steps. Staff interact well with children during their play. However, leaders recognise that continued support is required to raise the quality of staff interactions to an even higher level. n Changes have been made to the environment to suit the needs of the children. The staff communicate well with each other throughout the day. This helps the session to run smoothly and ensures staff are well deployed to meet the needs of children during transition times and play. n Staff support children's emerging communication skills well. They provide a narrative as children play and name items they are using. Staff extend what children say by repeating it back and adding more words. Staff use mathematical

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need to do better?

language during play. For example, when children are playing, staff use 'big' and 'long' to describe the resources they are using. Staff recognise and act upon children's non-verbal cues. n Children enjoy sharing stories with the staff. They snuggle into the staff as stories are read to them. Staff re-read stories over and over at the children's request. They encourage children to talk about what they see in the pictures and

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need to do better?

18 March 2025 ask what they think will happen next. Stories are used to introduce concepts such as kindness and early counting. This helps children develop a love of stories and books. n Staff provide activities that develop children's physical skills. They build their large motor skills by encouraging them to play ball games and teaching them how to roll large hoops. Children's fine motor skills are promoted during activities where they complete jigsaws and use play dough to make 'shark's teeth'. Children are provided with plenty of mark making opportunities. They use sand, chalk and magnetic boards to make marks. Staff introduce mark making during play. For example, when children are pretending to go shopping, staff suggest that they write a shopping list and support them. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents report that their children are happy and settled and that their individual needs are met. They feel that their children

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need to do better?

are making progress in their development. They are well-informed about the activities their children participate in during the day. However, some parents are unsure of the next steps their children are working towards. This means they are unable to support their children's learning at home to help them make even more progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n continue to develop the quality of staff interactions with children to help them challenge and extend children's learning even further n strengthen the arrangements to share information with parents about their child's next steps in learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 404856 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10242887 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 57 Name of registered person Catley, Jean Patricia

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reference number

Telephone number 01206 579 458 Date of previous inspection 15 May 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Plume Avenue Nursery registered in 1971. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff, 12 of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification from level 2 to level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 9am until 3.30pm, during school term time, except for Mondays when the nursery closes at 1pm. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of free play with the deputy manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents and grandparents during the inspection and took account of their views. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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

18 March 2025 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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