Playsteps Day Nursery

Daily Forest School sessions give Playsteps Day Nursery’s Church Place setting a clear outdoor character. Its own forest area, complete with a mud kitchen, brings outdoor exploration into the nursery day rather than reserving it for occasional outings. The building dates to 1846, adding another recognisable feature to this central Swindon setting.

Children can attend from birth to 60 months, with 65 places in total. At its December 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, while identifying improvements needed in key-person continuity and staff interactions. Those findings matter alongside the outdoor offer: activities and relationships both shape a child’s experience.

Attendance is organised around full days, with year-round and term-time-only arrangements.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children’s learning, development and care. In practical terms, learning includes play, communication and growing independence, rather than simply completing activities. Forest School adds daily sessions in the nursery’s own forest area, using outdoor space for exploration and educational activities.

The mud kitchen and outdoor toys give that offer concrete resources. For families who value outdoor play, the important detail is its place in the daily routine. Children have repeated opportunities to use the grounds, rather than relying solely on trips away from the setting.

In December 2022, children used dough and tools in activities planned to build on earlier learning, exercising the hand muscles needed for writing. Staff also introduced vocabulary during play. The learning was connected to children’s interests and next steps, giving everyday activities a purpose beyond keeping children occupied.

Outdoor and Community Life

In December 2022, the outdoor environment included a hammock, uneven ground and logs used for balancing and jumping. Babies practised movement using steps and a slide, while older children took responsibility for safety checks in the forest area. These examples show different challenges for different stages of development, rather than one activity being applied to everyone.

The current daily Forest School offer is therefore a useful practical distinction. The grounds provide an outdoor setting on site, and the mud kitchen adds a place for hands-on play. Families choosing between a nursery with occasional outdoor activities and one with a daily outdoor programme have a clear feature to weigh here.

In December 2022, baby-room staff gathered information from parents and knew the children well; practitioners also used songs, conversation and eye contact during personal care. Such exchanges make routine tasks part of the relationship with a child. Independence featured too: children poured drinks, spread crackers and served food, practising manageable tasks within the day.

At the December 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities made good progress, supported by individual education plans and joint work involving parents, the local authority and other professionals. This was a specific support mechanism, with children’s individual needs informing the work.

There were two important weaknesses in December 2022. Staff absence sometimes disrupted continuity in children’s key-person support, and interactions in the toddler room were less consistent in helping children develop language. These are practical concerns for parents: a familiar relationship needs cover when a practitioner is away, and conversation needs attention throughout play and care.

Fresh meals are prepared by a chef working on site. That puts food preparation within the nursery itself and is a useful part of the everyday care offer.

Sessions and Attendance

Church Place offers full-day care only. Opening hours run from 8am until 6pm on weekdays; these are the nursery’s opening hours, rather than separately specified session times. A three-day weekly pattern is recommended, so this is a recommendation rather than a stated minimum booking requirement.

Places are offered across 51 weeks, with term-time-only arrangements also forming part of the booking model. Bank holidays are excluded from opening, and there is a Christmas closure lasting one week. Families comparing attendance patterns need to weigh the full-day format alongside their need for care during school holidays.

The enquiry form takes a preferred start date, nursery choice and requested days. Visits are arranged in advance, giving families a defined route to see the setting and discuss a proposed attendance pattern.

Getting There

The address is The Hub, Church Place, Swindon, SN1 5EH. A private car park serves collection and drop-off, and the nursery is a 10 minute walk from Swindon Railway station and town centre.

Funding and Paid Extras

In December 2022, the nursery received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. Government-funded sessions are now offered for children aged over nine months, subject to availability.

• Full days and attendance pattern. Half-day care is excluded from the booking model, and three days a week is recommended. Consider whether full days across the year or a term-time-only arrangement fits your family’s routine.
• Continuity and conversation. The December 2022 findings raised key-person cover during absences and the consistency of toddler-room interactions. During a visit, ask how familiar cover is organised and how staff support children’s conversation throughout the day.
• Funded care and extras. Government-funded sessions are offered for children aged over nine months, subject to availability. What current funded entitlement can your child use, and how are meals and non-food consumables treated within that arrangement?

Playsteps’ Church Place setting suits families seeking full-day attendance either across the year or during term time, with daily Forest School an important part of their choice. The forest area, mud kitchen and on-site food preparation give the practical offer substance. Its December 2022 Good judgement sits alongside specific concerns about continuity and toddler-room conversation. Those deserve attention when weighing the outdoor programme against the care arrangements your child needs.