Play-Days Corporation

In April 2023, paper phones, handbell music and mud soup illustrated Play-Days Corporation's practical play, with opportunities to talk, imagine and try things independently. Based at Newport Cottage Care Centre in Newport, it accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 36 places in total.

At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that referrals and additional funding supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These are dated judgements, rather than a description of today's daily practice.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, connecting play with the skills children build as they grow.

In April 2023, older children made paper phones and incorporated them into imaginative games, while younger children used the outdoor mud kitchen to pretend to prepare soup. Making something gave children material for their next game. Babies also played alongside older children and attempted physical challenges, including climbing a slide, with close supervision.

Handbell music added another kind of concentration in April 2023: older children watched colour cues and rang their bells to play tunes. Conversation threaded through practical activities too. Children discussed their preferred pizza toppings, while older children used vocabulary about hydration.

In April 2023, staff gathered information from families and children's previous settings to plan their initial experiences. New children settled readily, and babies received attentive interaction. Parents received frequent progress updates and ideas for extending learning at home, connecting nursery activities with family life.

Mealtimes also supported independence in April 2023. Children peeled fruit, poured drinks and helped wash up; conversations about cheese connected food with its origins. Staff followed hygiene routines and understood procedures for medication and accidents.

The address is Newport Cottage Care Centre, Upper Bar, Newport, TF10 7EH. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. That gives families a clear operating window around which to plan.

In April 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. This is an inspection-era description of participation.

• Precision in learning. The April 2023 inspection identified two priorities: setting out learning in clearer steps and using individual children's targets more consistently when planning activities. Both concern how everyday play builds on each child's existing skills.
• Attendance and costs. With opening hours spanning 7.30am to 6pm, which booking pattern and written quotation would fit your family's routine, including funded hours and charges for food or consumables?
• Independence and physical play. April 2023 examples included babies attempting the slide and children helping with food preparation. These practical experiences will matter to families who value opportunities to try tasks for themselves.

Play-Days Corporation merits consideration for families seeking care across the working week and interested in practical, imaginative learning. Its April 2023 account contains concrete examples of music, making and growing independence. The balance is clear: a Good inspection judgement alongside specific work to make learning sequences and individual planning more precise.