Nannas Day Nurseries Cowper Crescent

High ceilings, garden access from both playrooms and a converted children’s centre give Cowper Crescent its character. Nannas Day Nurseries Cowper Crescent occupies the former Beehive Children's Centre beside Queen Boudica Primary School in Colchester. It has capacity for 44 children aged two to four, with indoor play and outdoor exploration closely connected by the building’s layout.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding, finding effective safeguarding, exceptional teaching and rapid progress for children, including those with additional needs. That judgement has substance behind it: children helped decide activities, practitioners extended their vocabulary, and support was adapted to individual needs. It is a dated assessment, and families should weigh it alongside the current arrangements.

Flexible and fixed contracts sit alongside funded-only attendance, while full days, mornings and afternoons give families different ways to organise care.

Rooms and Ages

Two playrooms have high ceilings and doors leading straight to the garden. Each has a bathroom, sink and fridge, keeping practical facilities close to the children using them. The entrance hall adds a sensory wall and sofa. These are useful physical details for families considering how their child will move between play, personal care and quieter moments.

Children can move between indoor and outdoor activities through free-flow play. Construction spaces and home corners support building and pretend play; playdough and mark-making activities give children materials to manipulate and experiment with. Books and cosy corners provide somewhere to pause. The layout makes room for both active exploration and a quieter choice within the nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The nursery follows the early years foundation stage: in June 2022, children developed language through conversations with staff, explored living things and practised making choices about their activities. Those examples show what learning looked like here, from finding words for an idea to deciding what to investigate next.

During June 2022, children voted for an afternoon story and activity and chose a flavour for their room’s infused water. Such small decisions gave them a practical way to express preferences and participate in the group. Practitioners introduced unfamiliar vocabulary and encouraged children to think through problems and assess risks. The emphasis was on children becoming active participants in their learning.

Forest School, Dance and Sports are additions to the nursery day. Forest School brings nature exploration and practical outdoor activities to Highwoods Country Park for the oldest preschool children. Written parental permission is required, and no more than eight children attend a session. The setting’s own playrooms and garden remain central to the everyday experience, so families have both the immediate outdoor space and a named destination to consider.

Outdoor and Community Life

In June 2022, children grew vegetables, examined nests with magnifying glasses and helped care for African land snails. Caring for plants and animals made environmental learning tangible: children had living things to observe and responsibilities to practise. Nature walks and litter picking also connected their learning with looking after the surroundings.

A January 2020 visit took the Cowper Crescent Incredible Inventors children to Woodland View care home for National Puzzle Day. They brought favourite puzzles and worked on them with residents. This is a specific example of community contact, with a shared activity giving children and older people something to do together.

Relationships and Communication

In June 2022, children formed close relationships with their key person and settled readily. Staff helped them practise sharing and taking turns, understand emotions and work through problems. Those observations matter for families choosing care for a child who is still learning how to join a group, manage frustration or explain what they need.

Support for parents also had practical substance in June 2022. Communication books allowed sensitive information to be exchanged, while families could take books and educational activities home. Breakfast food and a food bank were part of the support offered at that time. The combination linked children’s learning with family life and gave parents different ways to stay involved.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff responded effectively to SEND, additional language and specific health needs, using reviewed support plans, books in two languages, visual guides to routines and activities involving stretching. The detail is more useful than a general promise of inclusion: it shows how support was translated into resources and achievable next steps for individual children.

Food arrangements allow a choice between a two-course cooked lunch, charged separately, and a packed lunch from home; breakfast cereals, fruit and afternoon snacks are also provided. Menus identify allergens, giving families a starting point for discussing individual dietary needs.

Sessions and Attendance

Cowper Crescent opens from 6.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year, closing on bank holidays. Its attendance options include full days, mornings, afternoons and funded-only sessions. Flexible contracts and fixed contracts are both offered, which gives families a choice between different contractual arrangements as well as different portions of the day.

The funded-only offer is stretched over 48 weeks, and additional hours can be added for families needing longer days. This distinction matters when planning childcare: a funded attendance pattern and the nursery’s full opening window are separate arrangements. Families should consider which combination of sessions and extra hours matches their routine.

Getting There

The address is Queen Boudica Primary School, Cowper Crescent, Colchester, Essex CO4 5XT, beside the school in the former children’s centre. The branch telephone number is 01206 853476, providing a direct enquiry route for this location.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare and additional paid hours are offered, with funded attendance delivered through the stretched arrangement. Cooked lunches carry an extra charge, and parents can choose to send a packed lunch instead; breakfast and snacks are provided.

For private parents, nappies and wipes come from home, while these items are provided for NHS parents at Cowper Crescent. This is a parent-category distinction, so families should establish which arrangement applies to their contract. For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

Moving on to School

In June 2022, teachers from the school on site visited nursery children, and the settings shared Christmas and Remembrance Day celebrations. Familiar adults and shared occasions gave children contact with school life before moving on. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a place at Queen Boudica Primary School.

• Contract and session choice. Full days, mornings, afternoons and funded-only sessions sit alongside flexible and fixed contracts. At a showaround, discuss how the contract you are considering handles changes to your working pattern.
• Funded attendance across the year. Funded-only sessions are stretched over 48 weeks, with extra hours available to add. Match that arrangement to the weeks and parts of the day your family needs covered.
• Meals and personal supplies. Cooked lunch is charged separately, with a packed lunch from home as an alternative; private parents supply nappies and wipes, while these are provided for NHS parents. Families managing allergies should confirm the current meal arrangements for their child.
• School connection. Shared celebrations and teacher visits were part of the June 2022 account. Consider that preparation alongside the separate decision about a Reception place at Queen Boudica Primary School.

Cowper Crescent suits families choosing between full days and morning or afternoon care, as well as those considering funded-only attendance. Its strongest practical features are the playrooms’ direct garden access, the choice of contract arrangements and the option to bring lunch from home.

The June 2022 judgement adds weight to the choice, with concrete examples of responsive teaching, individual support and children taking part in decisions. For a family seeking care for a two- to four-year-old, this is a nursery with a recognisable physical setting and a strong dated assessment of how children were supported to learn.