Play Pals Nursery

Inspection of Play Pals Nursery 675 Atherton Road, Hindley Green, Wigan, Lancashire WN2 4SD

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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

Staff greet children and their families with a warm welcome as they collect children at the door. Children smile happily as they enter and show they feel safe and secure in this caring environment. Key staff, who know the children well, take lead responsibility for children's care and education. These established relationships help to ensure that the ongoing use of temporary staff does not have a negative impact on children's emotional well-being. Babies develop strong attachments and feel safe and secure. They snuggle into familiar staff and smile happily as staff sit alongside them to share books and support their interests.

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The provision is good

Overall, the educational programme is good. Children have lots of exposure to activities that help prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They are motivated and confidently use the available play materials in different ways. For example, after rolling a ball to try and knock the skittles down, children independently use the same resources to play a game of bat and ball. Children behave well. They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and an eagerness to try new things. Children make good progress in their personal development. They are well supported by caring staff as they learn to identify and explore their feelings to help them process life events. For example, imaginative role play is particularly well used to support children who have a new baby in their family.

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need to do better?

n The senior leadership team is clear about what the curriculum should include. It fully understands that what children are taught in the early years will help them to be successful in their future learning. Experienced staff working directly with the children build on what children already know. They skilfully adapt and extend planned learning to meet children's individual learning needs. n The on-site manager leads by positive example. She evaluates the quality of the nursery provision and is keen to strengthen the provision for outdoor learning to further improve the curriculum for children who prefer to learn outdoors. n The curriculum for communication and language is strong. Staff model language well and effectively introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary. For example, as children paint with flowers, staff show and name the different parts of the flower. Children enjoy singing familiar songs and rhymes and listen to

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need to do better?

carefully selected stories with interest. n Staff provide experiences which extend children's understanding of the natural world. Children confidently practise what they have learned, independently planting bedding plants into small pots. Staff create a culture where children's understanding of diversity beyond their immediate family is actively promoted. This helps to prepare children for life in modern Britain. n Many experiences are offered to children to promote their physical development.

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need to do better?

12 July 2023 Children enthusiastically squeeze, pinch and stretch dough to music. Such activities help children to develop the muscle strength and flexibility in their hands and fingers that will support eventual handwriting. Children enjoy regular opportunities to be physically active. However, older children who are eager to extend their large movements are not fully supported to further develop their balance, coordination or agility. n Children are well prepared for the move to the larger of the organisation's two nursery settings when they turn three years old. Staff use quieter school holiday periods to familiarise children with the new staff and environment. Children benefit by making this move with some of their friends. However, leaders failed to ensure that their registration with Ofsted took account of the nursery provision for children on both sites. Leaders swiftly rectified this matter. n Permanent staff discuss training needs at regular supervision sessions. They

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need to do better?

access training to gain the knowledge they need to further improve outcomes for children. However, monitoring and training for temporary staff is less effective. Consequently, they do not always have a precise understanding of their expected role. This places an increased pressure on the established staff team, which works hard to minimise any impact on the quality of care and education children receive. n Parents speak highly of the nursery, saying their children enjoy their time and are eager to attend. Parents report positively on the progress children make with their speech and their personal, social and emotional development. They feel very well informed about their child's time and comment on how friendly and supportive the staff are.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are alert to the possible indicators of abuse. They complete relevant training and are clear that they would respond quickly if they had any concerns about a child's welfare. Relevant information is displayed. This provides all staff, including those who are new to the nursery, with immediate access to contact details should they have any concerns. Staff provide good levels of supervision and conduct effective risk assessments to ensure children can move and play safely.

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should:

n provide further coaching, training and support to help temporary staff offer quality learning and development experiences for children n further improve the curriculum for physical development to help children make the best progress possible n enhance the provision for outdoor learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY563215 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 10299072 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 98 Name of registered person Play Pals Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01942294350 Date of previous inspection 27 May 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Play Pals Nursery registered in 2018. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. There is one apprentice working towards level 3 and one with an appropriate qualification at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n A learning walk was completed with the manager to discuss the curriculum intent and how the provision is organised. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children during activities and assessed the impact of teaching on children's learning. n The manager and inspector completed joint evaluations and discussed how the teaching observed extended children's understanding and linked into the learning intentions for the children. n Discussions were held with parents, the manager, provider and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector reviewed a variety of documents, including evidence of the suitability of staff, qualifications, first-aid certificates and policies and procedures.

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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

12 July 2023 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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