Playdays Preschool 5, Warren Hall

Playdays Preschool 5, Warren Hall is a term-time preschool in Romford for children from 18 months to five years. Ofsted rated it Good in June 2023, with Good judgements across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.

The inspection portrays a nurturing setting where children were confident, engaged and increasingly independent. Its strongest documented qualities are practical play, attentive language and mathematics teaching, and targeted support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The preschool follows the Early Years Foundation Stage, the statutory framework covering seven areas of learning and development through play and everyday experiences. Its ambitious, well-planned curriculum built learning into play and adjusted activities around children's interests. In 2023, children measured towers, practised using tools safely, made faces from play dough and joined a language-focused bucket game. Patient conversation supported children's speech and encouraged them to take part.

Practical independence was equally visible. Children selected cereal, poured drinks, cleared their bowls and chose activities. Staff supported climbing in stages until children could try confidently by themselves. Families can use a visit to understand how children are grouped now because the official record does not specify separate room names or room-specific age bands.

The documented play had a clear practical thread. Children used bricks and tools to construct buildings, acted out washing and ironing clothes, and shared pretend pepperoni pizzas with adults. These examples show staff using familiar experiences to encourage vocabulary, sequencing and confident conversation. Mathematical ideas also appeared within play: children read numbers from a tape measure and compared whether objects were bigger or smaller. This gives parents a concrete picture of a day shaped by active investigation rather than worksheets or isolated drills.

Staff adjusted their questions and support to children's different stages. The climbing example is useful here: an adult initially offered a hand, then stepped back once the child had mastered the movement. Praise for small achievements and opportunities to carry out simple tasks helped children build confidence. Children were also recorded listening with anticipation during the bucket game and responding to instructions such as go and stop.

Warm relationships helped children feel secure. Children showed kindness to each other and appeared to have a strong sense of belonging. Safeguarding arrangements covered staff knowledge of local risks, reporting routes, recruitment and risk assessment.

Support for children with special educational needs and disabilities was a particular strength. SEND support was coordinated across the setting, families and external specialists. Parents were also kept informed about progress and changes.

The 2023 improvement point was for staff to reinforce rules and boundaries consistently. This is a useful topic to revisit when touring, alongside how the setting supports children to understand expectations.

Children's emotional understanding was supported through activities such as moulding happy and sad faces from play dough. Children generally understood expectations, but staff practice was uneven.

Leadership evidence included regular supervision and monitoring of staff practice. Staff feedback to Ofsted indicated a positive and supportive workplace. Parent partnership was connected to children's progress: families reported receiving updates about learning and changes within the preschool. For SEND, targeted activities built on what children already knew and were intended to prepare them for their next stage of learning.

The preschool is at 4 Mirfield Close, Romford, RM3 8RW. The official record lists 38 registered places and an age range from 18 months to five years.

The setting operated from a hall in 2023. In 2023 it employed seven staff, six holding an appropriate level 3 qualification. Those figures belong to the inspection date rather than a promise about today's staffing, but they provide useful context for the provision Ofsted observed.

Sessions and Attendance

In June 2023, the preschool operated from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. Current booking patterns and whether shorter sessions can be selected are useful points to confirm directly.

Funding and Paid Extras

In 2023, the preschool offered early years funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

• Current session choices: Ask whether the 9am to 3pm term-time day remains current and which shorter attendance patterns can be booked.
• Room organisation: The evidence does not name rooms, so ask how children of different ages are grouped and how transitions work.
• Consistent expectations: Discuss the steps taken since Ofsted's 2023 request for more consistent reinforcement of rules and boundaries.

Playdays Preschool 5, Warren Hall has a positive inspection picture, especially for nurturing relationships, purposeful play, independence and individual support. It is most clearly suited to families seeking term-time weekday care within a 9am to 3pm window. Families needing a different attendance pattern should confirm what can currently be booked.