Play Place

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

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 the setting must and should do next

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
• increase the diversity of experiences and resources to enhance children's understanding of people and cultures within their own community and beyond.