Colchester's Dragonfly Day Nursery now rated good by Ofsted

Dragonfly Day Nursery, in North Hill, Colchester, opened in March, 2023 and received an overall inadequate rating from Ofsted in August, 2023.

Inspectors who carried out the visit raised concerns over the nursery’s safeguarding arrangements noting children’s health and safety could be compromised because of a lack of accurate record-keeping regarding children’s dietary requirements.

Following a new inspection, however, carried out on January, 5, Dragonfly Day Nursery has been rated good in all four categories.

The report reads: “The management team works effectively together to run a consistently good nursery.

“They value their staff and work hard to give careful consideration to their well-being and contentment.”

Praise - The Ofsted report said parents were very happy with the nursery (Image: Dragonfly Day Nursery)

Inspectors also noted how "swift action" had been taken following the last inspection "to review and improve the procedures for managing children's health and dietary needs".

Staff have also "sought appropriate training" to improve their teaching, especially in respect of their interactions with children and their questioning skills.

A spokesperson from the Dragonfly Nursery said: “We are delighted to confirm that following an unannounced inspection by Ofsted a couple of weeks ago, we have achieved an overall rating of good for Dragonfly Day Nursery Colchester.

“Since our opening less than a year ago, we’ve faced numerous challenges which we have swiftly overcome and are thrilled Ofsted have acknowledged the hard work we have put in during their recent inspection.”

Play - A black and white play area (Image: Dragonfly Day Nursery)

In their opening summary, Ofsted inspectors said there was a “culture of respect” due to children copying the staff’s “positive role modelling” including the use of clear, polite, and positive language.

The report praised the nursery for the outdoor learning provided in the nursery garden and said to improve further, these learning opportunities should be built on.

Parents also revealed to inspectors how “happy their children are” at the nursery.

“They praise the kind and caring staff and comment that a real strength of the team is the effective communication they receive about their child's day," the report adds.

The spokesperson has now promised the team's efforts to improve will remain consistent to ensure a high level of care is provided to the local families they support.

"We strive to continually improve our practice," the spokesperson said.

"We are excited to see what this year brings for us and look forward to welcoming more of the local community to Dragonfly Colchester."

The full-day care nursery is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm for 51-weeks of the year and provides education for two, three, and four-year-old children.  

If you’re interested in joining the nursery, contact 01206 767 104.