Play Days Academy

Inspection of Play Days Academy Manor Court, The Ford, Glen Parva, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 9TL

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children help staff to carry out risk assessments in the garden. They identify potential risks, passing pieces of paper to staff when they find these on the ground. This helps children to take responsibility for maintaining a safe environment to play in. Children receive praise from staff for their achievements, helping to raise their self-esteem. For instance, staff give children in the toddler room a 'high five' when they remember familiar stories. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported with their language development and understanding. For example, staff use key words in their home language, and images that support children to follow daily routines. Children watch as staff use gestures to support their understanding of what is being said. This includes staff giving children a thumbs up to praise them for sharing play dough with their peers.

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The provision is good

Children have opportunities to develop a love of books. In the baby room, when staff read to children, they let them turn the pages of the book, helping to maintain children's interest. In the toddler room, children are asked to remember familiar characters in stories and to talk about what they are wearing, such as a gingerbread character wearing buttons. Pre-school children use soft toys and act out favourite stories in their play. They remember and say key phrases from stories.

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need to do better?

n The management team and staff have made improvements to children's experiences since the last inspection. This includes embedding systems to support children's behaviour. For example, staff talk to older children about the rules and boundaries. Children remember that they need to use quiet and calm voices inside and can use loud voices outside. This shows that they understand what is expected of them. n The management team and staff implement a curriculum that helps children to progress in their learning. This includes supporting their communication and language skills. For example, in the baby room, when staff sing a nursery rhyme about a spider, they show children a puppet spider, helping to support their understanding of the rhyme. Staff in the pre-school room hold back-and-forth conversations with children to encourage their thinking skills. n Staff share information with parents about their children's achievements and

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need to do better?

care routines. This helps to keep them informed about their child's day. Staff support parents to continue children's learning at home. For example, parents take home activity bags to do with their children. n Staff are supported with their practice and well-being. They attend supervision meetings to help them reflect on their interactions with children. Professional development opportunities help staff to build on their knowledge of how to support pre-school children to develop their literacy skills. This includes asking

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need to do better?

30 October 2024 children to throw a dice and follow instructions to sing the rhyming song that is shown on the dice. n Children are keen to join group times that staff plan for them. For example, they learn how they can be kind to new children in the room. Children say that they can show them where to tidy the toys away. However, occasionally during these times, staff do not support all older children to join in discussions to help build on their confidence and learning. n Staff use electronic devices to show children images of how to brush their teeth thoroughly when they give them their own toothbrush and paste. This contributes to promoting oral health. Staff supervise children when they watch the images, helping to promote their safety. However, staff do not help children to understand what to do, and how, when they encounter potential hazards when they use the internet at home. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well.

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need to do better?

Staff invite other professionals to observe children in the nursery. Staff work with them to identify and implement targets to help children progress. Additional resources are purchased to support children's individual needs. For example, if the noise level in the playroom becomes overwhelming for children, they have ear defenders to wear.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n support staff to encourage all older children to join in during group times, to help build on their confidence and learning n help staff to support older children to learn about what to do, and how, if they encounter potential hazards when they use the internet at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY537182 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10324552 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 80 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Playdays Academy Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07701062043 Date of previous inspection 21 November 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Play Days Academy registered in 2016 and is situated in Glen Parva, Leicestershire. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for one week between Christmas and new year. Sessions are from 7.15am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged nine months upwards.

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Inspection activities

n The manager, provider and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed how the staff implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Children spoke to and interacted with the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and provider. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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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

30 October 2024 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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