Playbox Nursery

Inspection of Playbox Nursery Pennycross Methodist Church Hall, Pridham Lane, Plymouth PL2 3PZ

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children show excitement as they arrive at the nursery. Staff equally greet children with enthusiasm, taking a genuine interest in the children and their families. Staff ensure that children's views and opinions are heard. For example, before story time, staff enable children to vote on which book they would like staff to read. Children vote by raising their hand on which one they prefer. In the event of a split vote, staff read one book choice in the morning and the other in the afternoon to role model equality.

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The provision is good

Staff know the children exceptionally well and celebrate their uniqueness. They plan their curriculum effectively and implement it well to ensure children make strong progress. All children learn to be independent. Younger children understand the importance of looking after resources and tidying away. They use their hands to pretend they are binoculars, looking for items to put away. Children confidently use a dustpan and brush to sweep the floor and put toys back where they belong. Older children are self-sufficient. They pour their own drinks from ceramic jugs at snack time and manage their own personal needs well, such as toileting, wiping their noses and disposing of their tissues independently.

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need to do better?

n The nursery has formed strong relationships with parents. They encourage families to be actively involved in children's learning, such as enabling children to take home the 'travelling teddy bear'. Children enjoy the responsibility of looking after the bear, taking it to places within their community. They develop a sense of belonging and talk to their peers about the adventures they have had. Children enjoy sharing the photos and develop their confidence as they speak within a group. n Leaders and staff are passionate about their role and ways to continuously develop children's learning. They use close links with members of the community to expand children's knowledge and skills. For instance, children engage in fun activities, such as making fingerprint patterns using ink with the assistance of local police. Children learn about the emergency services and people who help them. n The nursery provides a toddler group twice a week, which is run by staff.

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need to do better?

Parents stay with their children to engage in a range of activities. This enables children and staff to get to know one another and form close relationships. When it is time for children to join the nursery, they settle quickly as they are familiar with staff. n Children take a keen interest in nature and the world around them. When they find minibeasts outdoors, they quickly use a factual book to find out which bug they have found. They use their magnifying glasses to take a closer look. The

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need to do better?

8 April 2025 nursery has a giant African land snail that children look after and develop an understanding of how to care for it. n Staff help children to develop their hand-eye coordination, such as chopping fruit and vegetables. Younger children learn how to hold the safety knives carefully and how to cut around plums at snack time. Older children enjoy peeling Brussels sprouts to use for their 'Gruffalo soup'. n Children enjoy story time and maintain their attention for long periods of time. Staff keep them consistently engaged by changing their voice and actively encouraging children to join in. Other children use magnetic boards to begin to form letters of the alphabet. Staff talk to them about the initial letters in their name. All staff use effective questioning techniques, but occasionally, they do not extend and provide further challenges to build on children's overall knowledge. n Staff ensure that children receive daily opportunities to be outside in the fresh

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need to do better?

air, where they develop their physical skills effectively. Children use large arm movements as they create drawings with chalk on the wall. Others show skill in carefully pouring water from one container to another. Some children enjoy carrying and balancing wooden planks across crates while older children play in the 'secret garden', developing their climbing abilities.

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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 extend children's learning further and provide them with consistent challenges to help them make even more progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2713163 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 10372611 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person KCP Keystone CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 01752 500900 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Playbox Nursery registered in 2022 and is located in Plymouth, Devon. The nursery operates Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are 13 members of staff, all of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications. Four staff members hold qualifications at level 5, six staff hold a level 3 qualification and three members of staff are level 2 qualified. The nursery provides government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Staff 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 observed the interactions between staff and the children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during story time. n Parents and childminders shared their views of the setting with the inspector. 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

8 April 2025 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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