Play A Way Activity Centre

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know children and their families extremely well. They ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to their learning, receive individualised support tailored to their needs. Leaders liaise effectively with other professionals to ensure strategies are consistent and fully embedded to help children make positive progress from their starting points. Leaders use funding effectively to support individual children who receive it. They work with parents to identify equipment that can be purchased to support children's specific developmental needs. For example, they provide resources to support children's learning at the setting and home, such as story sacks, and provide more opportunities to use outdoor provision and benefit from a range of experiences that support their physical development and coordination.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders design a curriculum that meets the needs of all children. They focus strongly on communication, language and children's physical wellbeing. Staff actively encourage a love of reading by sharing books with children at every opportunity and encouraging them to take books home. As a result, children develop a keen interest in listening to and exploring familiar stories. Furthermore, staff use signing, visual aids and key words from children's home languages to support those who speak English as an additional language. This helps to strengthen children's understanding and supports them to become confident communicators. Staff regularly observe and assess children's progress. They use this information to plan next steps and provide activities to meet children's individual needs.

Staff know their key children extremely well and plan purposeful activities to help them build on what they already know and can do. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, make secure progress from their starting points. Typically, staff engage children in meaningful conversation and use effective questioning during activities to help develop children's thinking and problem-solving skills. They give children time to think about their thoughts and ideas. Furthermore, staff help to broaden younger children's vocabulary as they introduce new words and regularly sing children's favourite songs. Overall, staff generally deliver the curriculum intent well. However, at times, staff do not seize opportunities to adapt activities to help extend all children's learning and deepen their knowledge further.

Staff promote children's mathematical development effectively. For example, older children explore different sizes of shapes and use positional language when creating large-scale models outside. Younger children develop counting skills by counting steps and objects in the sand.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to their learning, make significant progress from their starting points, particularly in their communication and language development. Children who are learning to speak English as an additional language use visual aids to communicate, and staff repeat key words back to them. This helps children to develop their vocabulary. Children are enthusiastic learners and demonstrate confidence as they explore the environment and share their ideas during play. For example, they use their imagination when creating maps that highlight 'X marks the spot' to search for treasure. Overall, children are well prepared for the next stage in their development and develop secure foundations for future learning. Babies move with increasing coordination as they crawl, climb and walk holding onto furniture. Older children learn to throw, roll and catch balls, building their control and coordination.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide opportunities to help children develop their self-care skills. Children wash their hands and use the toilet confidently, and younger children learn to put on clothing to go outside. Children confidently make choices in their play and show care for their environment as they tidy away resources when finished. At times, particularly during mealtimes, staff will often step in to complete tasks children can do for themselves, limiting opportunities for children to further strengthen their independence. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and show curiosity in their play. For example, they enjoy exploring a range of musical instruments to experiment with different sounds.

Staff adopt an inclusive approach and create an environment that promotes all children's positive behaviours and attitudes. They are positive role models and consistently remind children of the rules and expectations. This supports children to develop an understanding of right and wrong. As a result, children show care, kindness and respect for their environment, resources and each other. For example, younger children begin to learn how to share and take turns during activities with their peers.

Leaders clearly communicate expectations around children's attendance with parents. This supports all children to access the early education they are entitled to.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's wellbeing. Staff are incredibly kind and caring. They provide a safe, nurturing environment where children feel secure, valued and ready to learn. The key-person system is well embedded. Staff establish positive relationships with children and ensure that care practices meet the personal needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing any barriers to their learning. Staff know their key children extremely well and ensure routines from home are followed as closely as possible, particularly for the youngest children, such as sleep time routines. This supports children's emotional wellbeing and helps them to feel safe and settled.

Children benefit from opportunities that help them to learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, children are encouraged to develop positive hygiene habits, including regular handwashing. In addition, staff offer parents helpful advice and guidance on promoting healthy eating, including nutritious lunch box choices.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision and are committed to providing high-quality experiences for children that build on what they already know and can do. Leaders and staff regularly evaluate how they meet children's needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing barriers to their learning. As a result, children make significant progress from their starting points. Staff have high wellbeing and feel valued and supported in their role. They have many opportunities to access training to enhance their knowledge and skills. For example, recent training on supporting children's speech and language has been successful in how staff support children's early communication. However, there are still some areas where practice is not yet fully embedded to consistently enhance children's learning experiences.

Overall, leaders and staff work closely with parents and other professionals to support children's care and development. They share information regularly with parents through electronic communication, daily handovers and written reports on children's progress and achievements. Leaders recognise that communication with parents is not yet consistent and have identified ways to improve this. Despite this, parents praise leaders and staff for the care and teaching they provide, particularly for children with SEND.

Leaders reduce barriers to learning by using additional funding effectively to support children's best interests and close any gaps in development. For example, they purchase additional resources and games to help support and promote children's physical balance and coordination.