Nomi Childcare

Windsor Tower gives indoor physical play a concrete shape: stairs, a platform and a slide sit alongside the Starfish Room’s quieter activities. Add protected outdoor space for younger children and two open-plan rooms for older children, and Abbs Cross Day Nursery Collier Row has a clear emphasis on movement, exploration and growing independence.

Based in Collier Row Children’s Centre in Romford, the nursery has 40 places in total and accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged it Good overall and found safeguarding effective. That is a dated judgement, rather than an assessment of today’s daily practice.

Baby Nest, Starfish Room and Dolphins Room give the provision a recognisable progression. Babies have sensory materials and space for floor play; confident walkers gain more opportunities for construction and imaginative play; older children practise skills for their move to school.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Nest caters for babies up to 18 months, with a book nook, contrasting construction materials, fibre optic lights and floor space for movement, sensory exploration and early mark making. These are different ways for a young child to investigate: looking, touching, listening and moving, rather than relying on a single kind of activity.

Starfish Room takes children when walking becomes confident or around their second birthday, combining stories, construction, puzzles and role play with daily opportunities for paint, dough and sand or water exploration. Windsor Tower adds an indoor place to climb and slide. The move between rooms therefore involves a developmental milestone as well as age, a useful distinction for children whose confidence on their feet develops at different speeds.

Dolphins Room combines preparation for school with accessible learning resources and creative activities involving paint, dough, sand and water. The emphasis is on children taking more responsibility for what they do, rather than treating school preparation simply as an introduction to formal tasks.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children’s learning and care. In everyday terms, it brings communication, physical development and relationships into the same educational picture as play and practical exploration; it is the baseline for nursery provision, rather than a special programme exclusive to this setting.

In February 2023, staff used pretend ice-cream play in sand to prompt conversation about children’s preferences. Questions gave children something meaningful to discuss, while listening to friends introduced different opinions. With babies, practitioners described what was happening and used familiar family words. Language learning was embedded in interaction rather than confined to a separate lesson.

Practical independence also featured in February 2023. Children managed their wellingtons and peeled fruit, while preschool activities included using scissors, handling pencils and dressing. Setting tables provided another opportunity to contribute to the day. These small responsibilities gave children reasons to practise skills they could use beyond nursery.

Outdoor and Community Life

Younger children have a protected outdoor classroom, while older children use a larger outdoor classroom alongside their open-plan indoor rooms. That gives the different stages separate ways to explore outside.

In February 2023, children spent substantial periods outdoors in different weather conditions, using swings and slides and running freely. They were encouraged to attempt manageable challenges and try again. Outdoor movement was a substantial part of the day at that point, rather than an occasional change of scenery.

Conversation was a practical part of care in February 2023. Staff joined children’s play, allowed time for answers and responded to babies’ gestures and sounds. Familiar words about family life helped connect nursery interaction with children’s existing experience.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found purposeful communication support and preparation for children’s next educational stage, but identified a need for more individually targeted staff development and better opportunities to understand differences between people. Training did not consistently help each practitioner improve planned teaching, and children had inconsistent opportunities to share their backgrounds and no opportunities to explore the local community. These are useful points to weigh alongside the positive judgement.

Safeguarding practice in February 2023 included staff knowing how to raise concerns about children or adults, induction covering procedures and regular discussions to refresh knowledge. Risk assessments also formed part of daily organisation. The relevant distinction for parents is between having a policy and staff understanding how to act on it.

A catering company supplies freshly prepared meals each day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Collier Row Childrens Centre, 28 Clockhouse Lane, Romford, RM5 3QJ. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures on Bank Holidays. For families organising work around childcare, that opening window is the practical starting point.

The Collier Row contact form provides a direct enquiry route for this branch. Choosing the branch matters: its offer should be considered on its own terms, alongside the room arrangements and opening hours above.

Getting There

Roadside parking is available. For public transport, the 365 bus stops outside the nursery, giving families a specific alternative to travelling by car.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded places are offered for children aged two, three and four. Participation in funded childcare should be kept separate from the price and structure of any additional paid care; current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation.

• Room progression. Starfish Room admits confident walkers or children around their second birthday. During a visit, discuss how that developmental move would work for your child and how the transition is supported.
• Teaching and community learning. February 2023 brought recommendations for more individual staff development and stronger learning about people’s differences. Ask for concrete examples of current training and opportunities for children to share their backgrounds.
• Attendance and the full charge structure. The nursery opens across the year and offers funded places for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Ask how your intended attendance would be booked, how funding would be applied, and what arrangements apply to meals and non-food consumables.

Abbs Cross Day Nursery Collier Row suits families looking for clearly differentiated baby, toddler and preschool spaces, with indoor physical play and outdoor classrooms forming part of the environment. Baby Nest’s sensory materials and Windsor Tower give that offer substance. The February 2023 Good judgement adds a positive inspection position, balanced by specific recommendations about staff development and understanding other people. Families who value practical independence have useful detail to work with here.