Play Away Day Nursery

Inspection of Play Away Day Nursery Langdale Road, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 5PY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children make exceptional levels of progress and truly flourish in this inspirational nursery. Their well-being is of the highest priority. Children demonstrate high levels of enjoyment and engagement in the interesting opportunities created for them. Staff knowledge of the importance of early years and child development means that they know how to promote children's learning effectively. For example, staff place a great emphasis on communication and language. This is well-sequenced throughout the nursery; babies engage in songs and rhymes, toddlers enjoy interacting with story books and pre-school children enjoy retelling the story of The 'Tiger Who Came to Tea'. The manager and her team place great importance on understanding and supporting the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work extremely closely with other professionals and parents to help support all children's individual needs. For example, community

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The provision is outstanding

nurses attend the nursery to train staff to support children's individual needs and requirements. As a result, children with SEND make incredible progress and are well prepared to move on to the next stage of learning.

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The provision is outstanding

Children show high levels of respect towards each other and the environment. Staff model respect and ensure children feel highly valued. Children willingly offer help with tasks, including tidying up between play times. Children are extremely confident and feel safe and secure. The management team recognised, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, that children's physical skills had been affected. Children access a 'gym' and thoroughly enjoy their time spent in here. They roll over, do somersaults and pretend to be horses galloping around. As a result, gaps have been successfully closed. The nursery has a pet tortoise. Children learn caring and nurturing skills as they tend to the needs of the tortoise. This helps children understand about compassion and responsibility.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Managers and staff place a strong emphasis on providing a broad and balanced curriculum. The impact of this on what children know, understand, remember and can do is exceptional and highly effective. n The nursery has a warm and welcoming ethos, staff strive to ensure that every family feels included. Staff place immense focus on ensuring children settle into nursery with ease and that parents are also supported through this process. Settling in sessions are tailored to support the emotional needs of individual children. Transitions within the nursery are extremely effective, time is given to all children to adjust and settle into the next room. n Routines are sequenced well in each room. Staff encourage independence skills from the beginning of children's journey at the nursery. This helps children to

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need to do better?

2 August 2022 make choices about what they do. Babies take part in numerous activities that offer choices, such as choosing to play with musical instruments or dough. Toddlers intensely concentrate on pouring their own drinks and pre-school children enjoy serving their own meals. As a result, children feel a great sense of pride and achievement. n Partnership with parents is strong. Parents comment that staff 'go above and beyond' to support children's individual needs. Staff share detailed information about children's progress and offer home learning activities to support learning at home. As a result, children are thriving. n Staff are extremely happy in their work. They say that they feel very well supported by the management team and work colleagues. Staff welfare is given high priority. They benefit from targeted training opportunities, such as learning how to use Makaton for children with SEND. This ensures that all children make

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need to do better?

the progress they are capable of. n Children develop a love of reading. Staff, children and parents enjoyed taking part in a sponsored read. In response to this, the nursery created a library for the children to access. This provides a space for children to extend their literacy skills further. n The nursery atmosphere is incredibly calm. Children have plenty of opportunities to understand and practice what they learn. Staff support children's understanding of learning before moving them on to their next steps. This helps children to remember their new skills and to build on them successfully. n Children learn about emotions and how to manage them through carefully planned activities. Adults sensitively discuss different feelings, what they might look like and how they might feel to help further develop children's understanding. As a result, children are extremely kind and considerate to their friends.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team carry out thorough checks during recruitment to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff can identify signs and symptoms of abuse. They understand the procedures for reporting abuse to the designated safeguarding lead and know how to escalate concerns to the relevant agencies should they need to. Staff undertake in depth training and continue to keep their knowledge up to date through team meetings on a regular basis. Children learn to assess risks for themselves, such as balancing across the balancing beams, they approach these challenges with enthusiasm and confidence.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 502871 Local authority Halton Inspection number 10129154 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 87 Number of children on roll 126 Name of registered person McGovern-Scott, Grainne Mary

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reference number

Telephone number 01928 565 351 Date of previous inspection 28 August 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Play Away Day Nursery registered in 2001. The nursery employs 30 members of childcare staff. Of these, 27 hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and manager completed a joint observation. n The manager and the inspector carried out a learning walk of the nursery and discussed the curriculum. n Parents shared views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to children and staff throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

2 August 2022 We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

2 August 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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