Playtime Day Care Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children warmly as they arrive at the nursery. They have positive relationships with children and their families. This helps children to settle quickly into the routines of their day. Staff are good role models towards children. For example, they teach children to understand what is expected of them. As a result, children generally behave well. Staff teach children to take turns and the importance of kindness. Children are confident to reach out to staff for comfort or to play alongside them. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

The environment is welcoming and organised. The broad curriculum is designed to build on what children already know and support their interests. Managers and staff develop a well-structured, engaging curriculum, which places a strong emphasis on promoting children's physical health and communication and language skills. Staff know the children and use this knowledge to carefully plan meaningful activities, and they have a clear intent for what they want children to learn. They incorporate teaching opportunities that support children to make good progress from their individual starting points. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported very well. Staff speak other languages in addition to English and use these skills to help support children. Staff use pictures as prompts and speak clearly to children. This helps children to understand and develop their English skills.

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

• The nursery is inclusive and welcomes all children. Staff work in partnership with parents and the local authority special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) team to develop individual learning plans to support children's progress. However, not all staff supporting children with SEND have the knowledge and skills to successfully engage the children in good-quality learning experiences. They do not consistently implement strategies outlined in children's individual learning plans. As a result, important learning opportunities are missed.
• Children learn to count as they count the magic beans from the book of the month, 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. Pre-school children quickly recognise how many fingers staff hold up to reflect the number of beans on the table. However, staff do not consider further ways to build on children's knowledge of counting, for example to reinforce their awareness of how written numbers match to quantity.
• Children develop a love of reading and books. They enjoy sitting down together to share stories before lunchtime. Both playrooms focus on the book of the month, which forms a focus for lots of different activities across other areas of learning. As children in pre-school explore the book 'Jack and the Beanstalk', they take part in activities in the home corner and the sand tray that explore the different concepts from the book.
• Children are supported by staff to become independent. Children roll up their sleeves and wash and dry their hands. They put on their jackets, and the younger ones request help when required. Children make choices, and many serve themselves during lunchtime. This prepares them well for their next stages of learning, including starting school.
• Staff praise children for their efforts and gently remind children of their 'golden rules', such as using 'kind hands' and 'good listening'. Children behave well, overall. However, staff have not fully considered organising some parts of the session, such as tidy-up time and lunchtimes, with children more effectively to ensure they are well supported in these tasks and do not get up to wander away from the lunch table.
• Staff foster physical development well. They support babies to sit and entice them to crawl and pull themselves up, strengthening their core muscles. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise daily as they play in the garden. Older children walk up and down stairs safely and run with control. This helps to develop their coordination. Staff also support children to build up their hand control and use tools and equipment skilfully.
• Managers have a clear vision for the setting and aim to provide every child with a high-quality early years experience. Managers act on the views of staff, parents and children to continuously improve the quality of provision. Staff receive effective supervision and coaching to help them to develop their skills. They comment on feeling well supported and working closely as a team with the managers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

• improve staff's knowledge and understanding of supporting children with SEND and ensure that identified learning strategies are consistently followed so that children with SEND make better progress. (by 30 May 2025)

The provider should:

• make more use of opportunities for children to understand about linking number and quantity and develop aspects of their mathematical awareness further
• improve the organisation of some daily routines, such as tidy-up time and lunchtimes, to ensure that children's needs are met consistently well.