Merryfields Playschool

Ofsted rating for Merryfields Playschool

Last inspected 27 September 2024

What it's like to attend

• Staff are nurturing and enthusiastic, getting to know children individually and ensuring an effective key-person system.
• Children are encouraged to freely access varied resources, leading to immersive and exploratory play indoors and outdoors.
• Staff thoughtfully plan for children's learning and development, observing and assessing them to create tailored learning opportunities.
• Children are encouraged to be independent and take responsibility for tasks, learning to handle authentic resources safely.
• Staff keep parents informed about their child's time at the playschool, sharing photos and inspiring home-based activities through an online app.
• Leaders prioritise effective support, training, and continuous professional development for staff, fostering a dedicated and collaborative team.
• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with an open and positive culture that prioritises children's interests.
• Staff nurture children's imaginative play by joining in role-play situations and encouraging exploration of new ideas, like demonstrating how to tie a knot.
• Staff model positive interactions, reinforcing values of kindness and respect, and teach cooperative play skills like sharing and turn-taking.
• Staff demonstrate good skills in building on children's ideas, helping them to widen knowledge and be resourceful, and skilfully incorporate mathematical language.
• Children quickly gain the skills necessary to climb carefully up the ramp and jump off the end.
• Children quickly learn how to handle authentic resources safely, such as china mugs and glasses.
• Leaders ensure an effective key-person system, helping children to settle quickly and form reassuring bonds with staff.
• Staff provide a calm environment and support simple routines to create a safe and consistent experience for children.
• Staff narrate children's play and use simple sign language to help children to express their choices.

• 1Help staff to build on their knowledge and understanding of strategies to support children to make the most progress they can in their communication and language development.