United Play

Yellow play dough, shared storytelling and balancing on tree stumps give United Play's August 2022 daily life a recognisable character. Practical independence ran through the activities, from carrying belongings to learning to drink from a cup.

At its 3 August 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated United Play Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that staff used their knowledge of individual children to plan learning and identify additional support needs. The nursery has capacity for 44 children at United Reform Church in Leicester. Children attending in August 2022 were aged 0 to 5.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children's learning, development and care: everyday play and routines provide opportunities to practise communication, movement and independence.

In August 2022, older children mixed yellow dough, then took it outdoors to look for matching colours. In the forest area, children contributed ideas to invented stories and cooperated in pretend cooking. These activities linked making things with conversation and shared play.

Physical challenges were concrete, too. In August 2022, preschool children practised balancing and jumping from tree stumps, sometimes accepting a helping hand. Babies were encouraged to stand and take steps. Staff also demonstrated everyday skills, including using a cup and collecting sand with a brush and dustpan.

In August 2022, children turned to their key person for comfort, while staff helped those frustrated by sand play talk about their feelings and return to the activity. Quieter children received encouragement to contribute to storytelling.

Communication with families in August 2022 included end-of-day conversations, newsletters and parent meetings. Parents received information about their child's next learning steps, giving them something specific to build on at home. Staff supervision addressed development needs, including training to support outdoor learning.

The August 2022 inspection identified two improvements: staff needed to extend children's vocabulary more consistently and strengthen their understanding of healthy food choices. Naming foods did not reliably lead to richer conversation; cakes and biscuits were sometimes served without a fruit alternative. Both points matter in ordinary daily routines, rather than only in planned activities.

The address is United Reform Church, Gooding Avenue, Leicester, LE3 1JW.

In August 2022, opening hours ran from 8am to 6pm on weekdays. At that time, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds, alongside care before and after school and holiday clubs. These are dated attendance arrangements.

• Language during routines. The August 2022 improvement concerned extending vocabulary consistently. Listen for how staff turn snack time and play into conversations that introduce new words.
• Food choices. Healthy eating was also an August 2022 improvement point. Discuss how today's snacks and meals help children understand everyday food choices.
• Attendance and age groups. The August 2022 offer combined nursery care with school-age provision. Ask how the current booking patterns and grouping would work for your child's age and routine.

United Play's August 2022 strengths lay in practical learning, shared imaginative play and relationships with key people. It will appeal to families considering nursery attendance or before-and-after-school care, the two patterns included in its August 2022 offer. The vocabulary and healthy-eating improvements deserve attention alongside those strengths.