Playdays

Inspection of Playdays The Wick Pavilion, Off Tresco Way, WICKFORD, Essex SS12 9GP

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children are excited to arrive at the nursery. They play happily with their friends and explore stimulating activities together. Children are busy and their physical skills develop well. They enjoy playing in the garden where they throw and catch balls, play with sand and go down the slide.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's emotional development particularly well. They interact with children in a warm and encouraging way. Staff and managers support children when they need more time to settle in. Children speak to staff who know them well and join in with their play. They have strong bonds with staff, who they go to for cuddles and reassurance.

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The provision is good

Children learn how to share and take turns. They make choices. For example, children vote to choose what to play with or which snack to eat. As a result, children are learning to understand each other's likes and dislikes. They feel valued and behave well.

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The provision is good

Children's mathematical skills develop extremely well. For example, children learn the days of the week and how to count on their fingers. Children concentrate well as they learn about numbers. Staff teach the children in an engaging and challenging way. All children are deeply engaged and try hard.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff share a clear vision for their curriculum. They plan activities that give children opportunities to develop a range of skills. Managers communicate to staff what they want the children to learn. As a result, children enjoy learning and gain knowledge. n Staff deliver an ambitious curriculum. Children concentrate well because the curriculum is sufficiently challenging. Staff assess children's learning and identify their next steps. However, children's individual next steps are not always closely linked to planning. Consequently, some activities are not focused enough on individual children's learning to help them make consistently good progress in all areas. n Children fall asleep in the calm environment of the nursery. As they wake up, adults smile and chat to them. Children feel secure and ready to learn. n Staff interact with children purposefully. They understand that describing to

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need to do better?

children what they are doing supports their language development. For example, when children make patterns on paper, staff say, 'Wow, you made a circle.' Children mimic staff and rapidly learn new language. n Staff understand that promoting children's independence in their care practices builds their self-esteem. Children wash their hands, scrape their plates and put

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need to do better?

24 October 2022 their shoes on independently. n Managers and staff realise that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on children's learning. They know that new children need more time to settle in to feel safe and secure. Parents receive regular updates after drop-off in the mornings. Consequently, children feel safe, and parents are reassured. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care their children receive. They report that children regularly use new vocabulary they have learned at nursery. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities particularly well. Managers and staff work effectively in partnership with parents to source external support. As a result, children receive the help they need. n Managers and staff are reflective of their practice. They regularly attend training to further their knowledge and skills. Managers make sure that knowledge

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need to do better?

gained from training is shared with all staff members. n Staff plan enriching activities for children that help them to learn about the world around them. For example, they receive visits from an ice-cream man and a dentist. They hatch baby chicks at the nursery and watch them grow. n Managers support staff well-being extremely well. They ensure that staff have sufficient breaks and talk to them about ways to improve support systems. Consequently, staff report high levels of enjoyment at work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff share a clear understanding of the safeguarding policy at the nursery. Staff know the signs of neglect and abuse and are confident in reporting concerns they may have. Managers and staff carry out regular risk assessments to ensure that the premises are safe for all children. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty. Managers ensure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date.

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should:

n strengthen planning to focus more closely on what children need to learn next and help them to make consistently good progress in all areas of learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486365 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10236615 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 50 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Jasper, Clare Elizabeth

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reference number

Telephone number 01268 769288 Date of previous inspection 24 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Playdays registered in 2015 and is situated in Wickford, Essex. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2, 3 and 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Opening times are from 7am 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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

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

24 October 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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