Hart Plain Daycare

Books used to answer questions during play, herbs to care for and opportunities to manage everyday tasks give Hart Plain Daycare a recognisable character. These were features of its February 2023 nursery day, with children taking an active part in choosing and developing their play.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 6 February 2023 inspection. The setting accepts children aged three months to five years, at Hart Plain Infant School in Waterlooville.

In February 2023, books extended beyond story time: children used reference texts during pretend play and explored science books in the discovery area. Familiar stories also encouraged children to anticipate what would happen next. Reading connected with what children were doing, rather than being confined to a separate activity.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, connecting their play with opportunities to develop language, independence and understanding of the world.

In February 2023, practitioners planned experiences around individual children's needs and had clear intentions for their learning. Child-led play therefore sat alongside adult planning: children's choices helped shape their activity, while staff considered what each child needed to learn. Stories, songs and rhymes gave children repeated opportunities to hear clearly spoken language. Books served different purposes, from helping children investigate a subject to supporting an imagined situation.

Outdoor construction play also provided a practical lesson in safety in February 2023. One child put on protective clothing before using toy bricks and reminded another child to wear a hat before joining in. The example showed children applying an earlier lesson themselves, rather than relying entirely on an adult's reminder.

In February 2023, children tended plants and herbs, giving them practical experience of caring for living things. China plates, fresh flowers and African cloth brought everyday materials and cultural detail into their surroundings. Children could also help themselves to snacks and drinks and use a hygiene station, practising recognition of their own needs.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described joint work with health, education and social-care professionals to support children with additional needs. These findings relate to that inspection date.

In February 2023, key-person discussions helped families use shared strategies at home, including support for speech and language while awaiting specialist appointments. That made communication with parents practical: it connected nursery experiences with things families could do themselves. Shared targets gave those conversations a specific purpose, linking support at nursery with practice at home. For a family waiting for specialist help, this meant having something practical to work on during the wait.

In February 2023, the physical surroundings also gave children examples of different cultures: framed images included Chinese dragons, alongside the African cloth used on tables. Cultural references were part of the everyday environment, rather than confined to a single activity. The china plates and flowers in glass vases belonged to the role-play space, giving pretend play recognisable domestic materials. Together with the self-service stations, these details show how ordinary objects and everyday tasks contributed to the nursery day.

Behaviour support needed greater consistency. In February 2023, some children struggled with sharing and treating others kindly, especially in the pre-school room; newer staff also needed more timely help to understand the behaviour policy. The improvement priorities covered both children's understanding of emotions and adults' responses to behaviour. Helping children recognise how their actions affected other people was part of the work required. This matters in everyday group play, where children must share resources and respond to each other's needs; consistent guidance from different practitioners was the central issue.

The address is Hart Plain Infant School, Hart Plain Avenue, Waterlooville, PO8 8RZ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, excluding bank holidays.

In February 2023, the nursery accepted early-education funding for children aged two, three and four. Its school-site location does not guarantee a Reception place.

• Emotional support. Consistency in helping children understand feelings and manage behaviour was an improvement priority in February 2023. Discuss how practitioners now support sharing and resolve disagreements.
• Hours and attendance. The opening day ends at 3pm. How would the nursery's booking arrangements fit your family's working day?

Hart Plain Daycare merits consideration for families seeking daytime care on a school site, with books, practical independence and care for plants prominent in its February 2023 experience. Its Good judgement provides a dated assessment, while consistency in behaviour support is a concrete point to explore when choosing care.