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Cockleshell Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Mar 2023)
·
3.3(9 parent reviews) ·Southend Adult Community College, Ambleside Drive, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2UP · Southend on Sea
Number of places
72 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2023
Local authority
Southend on Sea

About this day nursery

Cockleshell Nursery, established in 2004, is a childcare setting in Southend-on-Sea for children aged 0-4 years. 30am to 6pm, excluding bank holidays and three staff training days, the nursery provides a consistent and engaging environment.

The latest Ofsted inspection, on 14th March 2023, rated Cockleshell Nursery as 'Good'. Children here are noted to be happy and confident, readily approaching visitors and showing clear signs of feeling safe and secure with the familiar adults around them.

The nursery places a strong emphasis on a well-rounded curriculum, incorporating children's interests to motivate their learning, a point highly valued by parents. The special educational needs coordinator is particularly knowledgeable, working closely with parents and external professionals to ensure children requiring additional support have their individual needs met.

Outdoor learning is a key feature, with children cooperatively engaging in activities such as transporting soil in the mud kitchen and serving imaginary food in the playhouse, fostering positive attitudes towards physical activity. Staff actively participate, encouraging children to run and play in the garden.

For babies and toddlers, active music and group song sessions are a regular highlight, promoting engagement and movement. The management has recently refined behaviour management policies and procedures, with staff receiving additional training to embed effective strategies.

There is also a clear focus on developing children's speech and communication skills within the curriculum. The strong key-person system ensures staff build close bonds with children and understand their individual learning progress.

What it's like

Children are happy and confident in the nursery. They eagerly approach visitors and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure with familiar adults. Babies and toddlers enjoy active music and group song sessions.

Happy and confident childrenEffective key-person systemStrong SEND provisionEngaging outdoor playFocus on speech and communicationPositive parent feedback

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays and three staff training days. Opening times are from 7.30am until 6pm.

Established

2004

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Cockleshell Nursery

Last inspected 14 March 2023

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are happy and confident in the nursery. They eagerly approach visitors and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure with familiar adults. Babies and toddlers enjoy active music and group song sessions.

Inspector highlights

  • The manager has reviewed the nursery's behaviour management policy and procedures, and staff have attended additional training to embed effective strategies.
  • The manager has a clear idea of the skills she wants children to learn and has adapted the focus to further support children, especially in promoting speech and communication.
  • The key-person system is effective, with staff building close bonds and understanding children's learning progress.
  • Children behave well, and staff use sand timers to help them manage tidy-up times.
  • Staff regularly read stories, encouraging children's thoughts and ideas, helping them to listen to a wide vocabulary and recall previous learning.

Areas to develop

  • 1support staff to provide consistent opportunities for children to develop their independence, particularly at mealtimes
  • 2review and adapt activities to ensure all children, particularly the quieter children, fully engage and benefit from the learning.
Inspection #10281917 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

"Parents state that the nursery uses their children's interests, and these are added into the curriculum to motivate them to learn."

"Parents are confident that the staff know their children well and are kept informed of their children's progress."

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

The special educational needs coordinator is knowledgeable about the children who require additional support. She works closely with the children's parents and outside professionals to ensure their individual needs are met.

Outdoor space

Children play cooperatively in the outdoor environment. They transport soil from the mud kitchen to the playhouse and relish serving imaginary food to adults. Staff encourage and join in with children to run up and down the garden, helping them to develop positive attitudes towards being active.

Parent Reviews of Cockleshell Nursery

3.3
(9)
Amber Smart
10 months ago

This is a great nursery. They take great care of their children and offer a wide range of support for families. They have an app where you can track your childs sleeping and eating patterns during their time and they are very communicative and professional at all time. I would recommend this nursery to any family looking for top tier childcare. Theyre great!

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Ramz18
a year ago

Contrary to the other reviews here I thought I would at least give context: (My children have been going here for 2-3 years now) - Is it the best nursery in the world? No. - Will your kids be looked after by great staff? Yes. - Are they extremely busy during the day? Yes. To no fault of their own, they are looking after our children. Really hands on nursery and attentive to allergies. My kids are happy and I get pictures of them during the day/random activities sporadically.

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Amy Francie
3 years ago

I adore this nursery and so does my son! Fabulous staff and lovely setting. My son settled in immediately after taking him out of his other nursery (after moving home). Son has made amazing relationships with peers and staff. He’s evidently grown quicker in terms of building on skills and boosted confidence since joining this nursery. This nursery holds a special place in my heart. Staff are incredible, the app is great with plenty of helpful notifications and updates on nursery news, Dougies progression/ observations, and invoices are easy to access. Introduction walk around was most pleasant and settle in sessions were amazing. My son has been here a few months now and this was the best move we’ve made for dougie - so glad we came across this nursery. Thank you staff!

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Ania Caplin
4 years ago

I was truly afraid of my nearly 3years going to the new nursery...but the hours are very flexible and all meals included, a lot time outside. The final reasurance I gain during my 3 visits - haven't heard a single cry or moaning. My boy always supper chuffed and happy after even a long day. Great reports and updates on Family app. So I can see what he ate, what he is doing. Staff very supportive and nice. Belinda is absolutely great and very child orientated director. Feel lucky to have our kid there.

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Katy Stephens
6 years ago

Really shocked that this nursery has almost a 5 star rating to be honest. My son attended only for a few weeks but this was enough for me to have to pull him out and change nurseries. Every time I would collect him his nappy would be full (on one occasion it even leaked on our 5 minute walk home). His juice cup was always either empty or still in his bag not even been given to him all morning even after ringing up to complain about all this it continued. As if that wasn’t bad enough the staff are also extremely lazy. Apart from one girl who done my sons settling in sessions. She was absolutely lovely the whole way through and was the only one who ever gave me positive feedback regarding my son telling me new things he had done that day and new words he had said. I think her name was Jade but I’m not too sure. Every time I picked my son up all I got was constant negative feedback to the point where I use to actually dread going to collect him. They would say things like “we have had to have words today” and at one point they even branded him “rude” for saying “no” and telling people to “shhh”. My son is 2 years old. If the staff do not understand that this is normal cheeky 2 year old behaviour then maybe they shouldn’t be working in childcare. Being a nursery nurse myself I found the behaviour of certain staff members disgusting. My son is a lot happier in his new nursery.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Cockleshell Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: November 2010

  • March 2023Good
  • September 2017Good
  • April 2013Good
  • November 2010Good

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more