Play Place

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children know they are going to have a day filled with fun and laughter in the safe and caring nursery. From the moment they arrive, children are greeted with hugs and smiles by the warm and kind staff.

Parents are welcomed into the nursery to settle their children and to exchange information about them with staff. Most children quickly find their friends and play with the familiar and stimulating activities.Children engage in deep and meaningful play together.

They particularly love discovering the wide range of sensory activities. For instance, when children mix oil and flour together, they fully explore the texture ...and feeling on their hands. They focus and concentrate well when they make patterns in the 'gloop' with their fingers.

Children learn to behave and socialise effectively with one another. Older children demonstrate good skills in negotiating and taking turns, such as when they build the train set together. Staff support younger children to express their feelings in words and help them understand the needs of others.

They act as good role models for children's positive attitudes and can-do approach to learning. Children develop the skills they need for life-long learning, including when they go to school.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The manager is a highly energetic and dedicated practitioner.

He ably leads a team of staff who all put the children at the heart of their practice. Staff benefit from regular professional development opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge. The positive culture in the nursery means all staff feel valued and respected.

Staff comment on how much they enjoy their work.Staff plan activities to support children's learning. They know how to identify when some children need more support, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

However, they do not always sequence learning effectively so that children can develop and consolidate what they know to build their skills. Nevertheless, children fully engage and enjoy the activities staff provide.All children have a key person.

Staff understand the importance of this role in helping children to build attachments and feel safe and secure. Occasionally though, due to the deployment of staff, some children, including those new to the setting, spend less time with their key person.Staff build children's communication and language skills well.

They spend time talking and playing alongside children to model good speaking and listening skills. Staff skilfully introduce new words into children's play. For instance, when children dress up as doctors, staff introduce words such as 'stethoscope' and 'appointment'.

Children start to learn about the natural world when they look for bugs or sow seeds. They talk with staff about their families and lives. However, the environment and resources do not reflect the lives and cultures of those within the nursery community and beyond.

This limits opportunities for children to learn about their similarities and differences and life in modern Britain.Children use mathematics in meaningful ways. For instance, they count the laps they make when they ride tricycles.

Children make patterns, count, add and subtract when they throw beanbags at stacked tin cans. They measure out ingredients when they make play dough.Children enjoy listening to stories.

Staff captivate and engage children's imaginations and attention when they read with animated enthusiasm. This helps children develop a love of books.Children have good physical skills.

They enjoy fresh air and exercise throughout the day. Children gain strength, coordination and control as they ride tricycles, run and balance. They draw, paint and use tweezers to develop their fine motor skills.

Children learn to keep themselves healthy. Staff encourage good hygiene routines. For example, children wash their hands when they arrive at nursery.

Staff talk with children about the importance of a good diet and exercise for their overall health and well-being.Parents are welcomed into the nursery. They comment on how good it is to come into the setting, speak with staff and play with their children at the end of a day.

Staff keep parents informed about what their children are doing. Parents praise the dedication of staff during the pandemic. For instance, staff read stories and shared activities with children and parents online.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff fully understand their responsibility for keeping children safe from harm and abuse. They have robust recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of staff working with children.

Safeguarding policies are shared with staff and parents. Staff recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They know how to refer their concerns about children in a timely manner, as well as the whistle-blowing procedure if they are concerned about practice.

Staff know how some safeguarding issues might have an impact on children and their families, for instance children seeing inappropriate content online or being exposed to extreme views. Staff help children learn to keep themselves safe while they play.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's understanding of curriculum planning to ensure children's learning is sequenced to further extend their skills and progress review how staff are deployed to ensure children build strong attachments with their key person nincrease the diversity of experiences and resources to enhance children's understanding of people and cultures within their own community and beyond.