The Play Corner Hillside

A children's committee and a garden bench built with children's help give The Play Corner a practical, child-led character in its June 2026 account. Children had a say in activities and opportunities to use real tools. These are concrete ways to turn choosing, talking and making into learning.

At its June 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged all six areas Strong standard, covering achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare, teaching, inclusion and leadership, and found safeguarding standards met. The nursery has capacity for 34 children aged two to five at the Hillside and Wymering Centre in Portsmouth. It operates during term time.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play supports communication, physical skills and early mathematical understanding. In June 2026, staff had written the curriculum together, and children took turns on a committee to share preferences for activities. Children's interests therefore helped shape what happened next.

Practical work gave learning a purpose. In June 2026, children used an Allen key to turn screws into wood, counted the turns and recalled helping construct a bench for the nursery garden. Handling tools brought hand control and mathematical language into the same activity. Dough play offered another route: children arranged circles by size while discussing what they were making.

Beyond those activities, June 2026 experiences included searching for garden bugs with magnifying glasses, trips to the local library, a fort and a soft play centre, and a local farm visiting the nursery. Children could also borrow nursery books to take home, extending access to stories beyond their nursery day.

At its June 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children needing additional support benefited from personalised help, including adjustments to activities and routines, collaboration with external professionals, and picture cards and sign language for communication. The practical emphasis was on enabling participation, rather than giving every child the same task in the same way.

In June 2026, settling sessions were tailored to individual families, while key persons discussed care routines and development with parents. Staff worked with families on toilet training, and children practised washing their hands before eating. Sharing routines between home and nursery helped make these everyday steps consistent.

The address is Hillside and Wymering Centre, Cheltenham Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3PY. Term-time operation includes closure during school holidays, so families needing holiday childcare should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.

• Term-time attendance. School-holiday closures are part of the operating pattern. Which attendance patterns, opening hours and funded-hours arrangements can you book for your child?
• Children's say. In June 2026, a rotating committee helped children express activity preferences. During a visit, explore how a quieter child contributes to those choices.
• Continuing development. The June 2026 next step was to monitor the impact of leaders' development priorities and seek greater benefits for children's experiences and outcomes. Discuss the changes made and how their effect is assessed.

The Play Corner suits families seeking term-time childcare and a day involving practical making, conversation and children's choices. Its June 2026 examples give that proposition substance: tools and a garden bench, books taken home, and communication aids to support participation. School-holiday closures are the clearest practical consideration when matching the nursery to family life.