The Play Academy

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure. They arrive confidently and are excited to start their day at the nursery. The friendly and nurturing staff know the children extremely well. They greet children warmly on arrival. Children are very familiar with routines. They independently put away their belongings. They hastily make their way to their rooms and explore the rich variety of exciting and inspiring activities, which staff have thoughtfully tailored to the needs and interests of children. Staff provide an excellent foundation for children's learning and all children flourish.

Children behave impeccably. Staff are excellent role models. Their interactions with each other and children are consistently respectful. They have high expectations for children's behaviour. As a result, children are well-mannered and kind. They have formed secure relationships with each other. They play harmoniously alongside each other and together.

Children receive excellent opportunities to learn about diversity. Staff encourage parents to visit the nursery to support children's understanding and tolerance of different cultures. For example, children enjoy learning new songs in different languages and trying foods from other countries. They develop respect for different faiths and beliefs, while learning about a variety of festivals, such as Eid and Diwali. Children develop a sense of community through trips to the library and singing at a local home for older people. This helps to promote the well-being of the children and the residents.

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

• The quality of education is outstanding. Leaders and staff have an extremely clear vision for children's learning and development. Children benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum. The impact of this is highly effective, and children make rapid progress. Children demonstrate high levels of enjoyment and engagement in the exciting and inspiring opportunities created for them. Staff fully understand the importance of early years development in future learning and know how to promote children's learning effectively. For example, staff place a strong focus on early reading and mathematical development for all children.
• Staff work hard to minimise gaps in children's development, specifically communication and language skills. The nursery's special educational needs coordinators (SENCos) ensure that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive tailored support. Detailed assessments are taken of the children. This helps to design activities to ensure children make good progress. For instance, children greatly benefit from focus- group interventions designed to support children with language and social communication difficulties. The SENCos work in close partnership with parents and other professionals. This ensures children receive support in a timely manner.
• Children's health and well-being are high priorities for staff. Children benefit from small focus groups to support their good oral health. Staff provide sequenced learning to help children develop a secure knowledge and understanding. For instance, children enjoy singing and reciting rhymes. They excitedly squeeze toothpaste onto brushes and experiment with ways of brushing teeth. They play games that help identify healthy and unhealthy foods.
• Staff well-being is a high priority. Leaders are inspirational and passionate. Staff praise leaders and the team highly and feel extremely supported in their roles. Leaders ensure staff benefit from meaningful supervision sessions that encourage reflective practice. Staff receive extensive training to promote outstanding teaching.
• Staff plan excellent opportunities for children's physical development. For example, all children enjoy experimenting with movement and flexibility during Pilates classes. Staff ensure that children have plenty of opportunities to access fresh air and learn about the natural world during weekly trips to a local forest school.
• Staff continuously praise and celebrate children's achievements. They recognise the children's growing independence and value the contributions they make within the nursery. Staff encourage children to think of ideas for improvement. For example, children share their ideas during school council and complete evaluation questionnaires with parents at home. As a result, leaders purchased a yearly pass for a local aquarium. This helps to promote children's confidence and sense of self.
• Staff provide children with structured support throughout the well-planned daily routine. Children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional. Children are highly engaged and motivated to learn through high-quality teaching practice. They demonstrate high levels of patience, tolerance and respect for others. These experiences support children's understanding of the highly ambitious standards of behaviour that are expected at the setting.
• Staff have developed extremely effective partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of the dedicated staff and the enjoyable and exciting opportunities that children greatly benefit from. They comment on the 'fantastic progress' their children make.