Purple House Nursery

Childcare sits alongside practical support for women at Purple House Nursery. Its home within Preston Road Women's Centre in Hull gives it a clear community purpose: children can attend nursery while their families use the centre's services, undertake training or volunteer. The setting welcomes children from birth to five, with two purpose-built rooms and a garden that includes climbing equipment, a water wall and a summer house.

At its 17 March 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. That judgement provides a dated assessment of quality; the current offer combines play-based learning, individual support and outings beyond the nursery. Morning, afternoon and all-day bookings serve different attendance needs.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning and care, with play developing communication, movement, early number skills and relationships. Here, songs and mark-making sit alongside counting games and practical problem-solving. Children also practise listening, taking turns and expressing emotions, connecting early learning with the skills needed to participate in a group.

Independence has concrete everyday forms: choosing an activity, putting on a coat and serving a snack. These are useful opportunities for children to make decisions and manage small tasks themselves. The approach combines children's interests with organised activities and experiences drawn from everyday life.

In March 2022, music play included children choosing instruments and dancing in front of a mirror. Staff used reflections to help children recognise their expressions. Counting also happened during meals, as children worked out how many plates and cups were needed; older children explored differences in quantity. Familiar objects gave number work a practical purpose.

Rooms and Ages

Across the two purpose-built rooms, wooden furnishings, muted decoration and daylight shape the indoor setting. The physical design gives children a different backdrop from the more active garden, with room for creative and imaginative play inside. The nursery's accepted age range extends from babies to children approaching school age.

Outdoor and Community Life

Bikes, slides and climbing equipment provide opportunities for movement in the enclosed garden. A music wall and water wall add different ways to experiment, while the summer house provides space for quieter activities and creative play. This is an outdoor offer with several kinds of activity, rather than equipment for physical play alone.

Regular excursions include libraries, parks, woodland and a farm. For families, the useful distinction is that children's experiences extend beyond the rooms and garden to other places in the community.

Outdoor teaching was an improvement priority in March 2022. Staff development needed to give practitioners more ways to deepen children's learning outside, and training needs identified through supervision were not always addressed quickly. Daily organisation also interrupted play: children were brought inside for snacks or to locate boots, breaking their engagement with what they were doing.

Individual support is planned around each child's needs. A SENCo, the special educational needs co-ordinator, works with families and outside professionals on personalised strategies and learning plans. This gives parents a specific mechanism for discussing additional needs, rather than a broad promise of inclusion. Practitioners also have paediatric first-aid training and safeguarding training.

At the March 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, children progressing well and additional support coordinated with parents and other professionals. In March 2022, staff comforted children when they needed reassurance and helped them put feelings into words. Children also practised responding kindly when a friend was upset. Emotional understanding was part of ordinary interactions, alongside activities involving mirrors and expressions.

Preparation for school centres on routines, responsibilities and independence. Children practise making choices and taking care of practical tasks, with play and structured activities both contributing to that preparation. The emphasis is on becoming familiar with expectations and managing everyday situations, rather than an admissions advantage.

The wider centre adds another dimension to family support. Affordable Justice provides family-law advice and representation for women, with on-site nursery care during appointments subject to availability. This connection matters for a parent who needs time to deal with a legal issue while their child is cared for in the same centre.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning, afternoon and all-day bookings run across Monday to Friday. The booking form separates first visits from sessions for children who have attended before, and also provides an option to request more information. Families can make enquiries through that form or telephone 01482 790310.

Opening hours are 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. Those opening hours describe the operating window; they should be considered separately from the morning and afternoon booking options when planning a family's routine.

Getting There

The address is Preston Road Women's Centre, 185 Preston Road, Hull, HU9 5UY. The centre has on-site parking, level access and a lift serving its floors, useful practical features for families using nursery care alongside another appointment or activity there.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare is offered for children aged nine months to two years, subject to eligibility. Free crèche care also supports women attending courses or volunteering at the centre, subject to funding; this is a separate arrangement from funded early education and depends on the purpose of attendance.

• Outdoor teaching and uninterrupted play. In March 2022, teaching outdoors and interruptions caused by daily routines both needed attention. During a visit, discuss how staff now extend garden activities and organise snacks and wet-play preparation.
• The session agreement. Morning, afternoon and all-day options sit within a 10am to 3pm opening window. Before committing, ask for the exact session times and a written quotation explaining the funded arrangement.
• Childcare linked to centre activities. Free crèche care for courses and volunteering is subject to funding, while care during Affordable Justice appointments is subject to availability. These conditions matter if nursery attendance is intended to support a particular course, volunteer role or appointment.

Purple House Nursery suits families seeking morning or afternoon attendance as well as all-day bookings, especially where childcare needs connect with the women's centre's training, volunteering or support services. Its practical character comes from the combination of indoor play spaces, an equipped garden and regular excursions.

The March 2022 Good judgement is a useful starting point, balanced by clear improvement priorities around outdoor teaching and interruptions to play. For a family choosing this setting, the central decision is how its daytime session options and connection with the centre fit their own circumstances.