Friars Centre Playgroup

Friars Centre Playgroup
Unique reference number (URN): 2812159
Address: 8 Centurion Close, Shoeburyness, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, SS3 9UT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 26/09/2024
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Friars Centre Playgroup
Inspection report: 15 June 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Strong standard
Achievement Strong standard
Children achieve remarkably well across all areas of learning and development from their
individual starting points. They develop prominent communication skills and confidently
share ideas, recall previous learning and engage in conversations. For example, children
use vocabulary such as 'Australia', 'volcano' and 'vinegar' as they discuss their experiences
and investigations.
Children develop secure mathematical understanding through everyday experiences. They
count bugs, explore concepts such as 'full' and 'empty' and make predictions during
experiments. They think critically, test ideas and compare outcomes as they investigate how
volcanoes erupt.
Children develop secure physical skills and increasing independence. They climb, balance,
ride tricycles, use scissors safely and manage routines such as self-registration and toileting
independently. They assess risks sensibly and show consideration for others as they move
around the environment.
Children build resilience, confidence and emotional security. They form positive friendships,
cooperate during play and increasingly manage their emotions. Children who face barriers
to learning make particularly notable progress, developing communication, independence
and self-regulation. Consequently, children gain the knowledge, skills and confidence
needed for their next stage of learning, including school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders establish clear expectations and routines that help children feel safe, secure and
ready to learn. Children respond positively, transitioning calmly between activities, tidying
away resources independently and managing tasks such as self-registration and
handwashing with confidence. Staff use visual timetables, sensory strategies and
personalised support to help all children engage successfully in daily routines. Staff respond
skilfully when children with special educational needs and/or disabilities become unsettled.
They use their detailed knowledge of individual children, alongside reassurance, choice and
tailored strategies, to help children manage their emotions and return quickly to learning and
play.
Children form warm and trusting relationships with staff and each other. They are kind,
considerate and respectful, readily sharing resources, taking turns and helping their friends.
Children show genuine care towards others by ensuring that friends are included in play and
taking care to keep one another safe when riding bikes or moving around the environment.
They are equally welcoming to visitors and confidently engage them in conversations and
activities.
Children demonstrate highly positive attitudes to learning. They engage deeply in
experiences, sustain concentration and show curiosity about the world around them. After
activities have ended, children often choose to continue exploring, questioning and

investigating. This reflects their enthusiasm for learning and desire to discover more, which
staff happily accommodate.
Attendance is promoted effectively through positive relationships with families and
responsive support for those facing challenges. As a result, children attend regularly, settle
quickly and arrive ready to learn.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders have designed an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that places communication,
language, emotional wellbeing and independence at its core. They understand the needs of
their cohort well and use this knowledge to shape curriculum priorities, particularly in relation
to speech and language development, emotional regulation and school readiness. Leaders
invest in staff training, including Makaton and behaviour management, ensuring that staff
have the expertise to meet children's needs effectively.
Physical development is skilfully promoted through a wide range of indoor and outdoor
experiences. Children develop strength, coordination and balance as they climb, balance,
ride tricycles and navigate challenging equipment safely. Staff support fine motor
development through activities such as mark making, using tools and everyday routines. As
a result, children develop increasing confidence, independence and physical competence.
Staff deliver the curriculum through high-quality interactions that build on children's interests
and extend learning. They introduce ambitious vocabulary, encourage critical thinking and
use effective questioning to deepen understanding. For example, children learn words such
as 'erupt', 'lava' and 'Antarctica' while exploring scientific concepts and the wider world. Staff
expertly weave mathematics, literacy and communication into everyday opportunities such
as counting birds and squirrels in the garden. Therefore, children apply learning in
meaningful contexts.
The curriculum is highly inclusive. Staff adapt activities, resources and teaching approaches
to ensure that all children can participate and achieve. Consequently, children develop
wonderful communication skills, resilience and independence from their individual starting
points.
Inclusion Strong standard
Inclusion is a significant strength of the setting. Leaders identify children's needs early and
work closely with families and external professionals to reduce barriers to learning and
wellbeing. They have established a knowledgeable team, including 2 qualified special
educational needs coordinators, who use communication boards, Makaton, sensory
resources and targeted support to help children access the curriculum and develop
confidence. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make
remarkable progress from their starting points. For example, children with autism develop
their communication, emotional regulation and independence successfully, with children
progressing from using communication boards to speaking independently and engaging in
messy play.

Leaders support disadvantaged children particularly well. They use funding thoughtfully to
provide sensory resources, literacy materials and experiences that promote emotional
wellbeing and learning. Staff help families access wider support, including food banks and
community services. Children who are known to social care or who have experienced
adversity receive highly personalised support. For example, staff help children overcome
significant anxiety linked to previous experiences through carefully planned emotional
support, resulting in improved confidence, friendships and readiness for school.
Staff actively promote respect and tolerance through meaningful discussions about different
cultures, family circumstances and individual needs, helping children develop empathy,
celebrate differences and build positive relationships with others. Leaders foster a culture
where all children and families feel valued. Consequently, children feel safe, included and
highly secure, enabling them to thrive alongside their friends.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders have a clear vision centred on inclusion, communication, emotional wellbeing and
children's independence. They understand their community very well and respond
proactively to the needs of children and families. For example, leaders invest in
communication resources, sensory equipment and staff training to support children with
special educational need and/or disabilities and those facing disadvantage. As a result,
children receive timely support and make significant progress from their starting points.
Leaders reflect on practice thoroughly to identify improvements. They seek external advice,
review procedures and provide additional training where needed. Leaders monitor
attendance closely and maintain effective partnerships with other agencies, such as the
local authority. Therefore, children are safe and extremely well supported.
Leaders place a big emphasis on staff wellbeing and professional development. Staff
describe leaders as approachable and highly supportive. Regular supervision, training and
dedicated time for key responsibilities help staff develop their expertise. Recent training in
Makaton, behaviour management and safeguarding has strengthened practice and
benefited children's learning and wellbeing. For example, staff now incorporate signing into
everyday activities to further support children's communication.
Leaders demonstrate a wonderful commitment to supporting not only children but also their
families and the wider community. They run art workshops to reduce isolation, promote
positive mental health and create opportunities for adults to develop support networks.
Leaders recognise that parental wellbeing directly impacts on children and have thoughtfully
developed initiatives that help families feel connected. As a result, parents develop deep-
rooted community links and feel confident to support their children's emotional wellbeing and
learning.
Although independence during mealtimes is not yet fully consistent across both rooms,
leaders have identified this and are taking action to further strengthen practice. This reflects
a positive commitment to continuous improvement.

Expected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders place emphasis on children's welfare and wellbeing and create a caring
environment where children feel safe, secure and valued. Staff build trusting relationships
with children and families and develop a detailed understanding of individual needs. As a
result, children settle well, grow in confidence and develop a deep sense of belonging.
Parents describe staff as kind, nurturing and genuinely invested in their children's wellbeing
and development.
Staff support children's emotional wellbeing effectively. They respond calmly and sensitively
when children become distressed and use personalised strategies to help them regulate
their emotions. Children experiencing anxiety, emotional difficulties or additional needs
receive tailored support that helps them build confidence, friendships and emotional
security.
Children learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They manage risks sensibly, follow
hygiene routines and benefit from effective supervision and care. Inclusive practice
underpins welfare arrangements, with staff working closely with families and professionals to
support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing
additional challenges.
Children develop increasing independence through daily routines. However, opportunities
for children to take responsibility for tasks such as managing their own lunch items are not
yet fully consistent across all rooms. Leaders have identified this and are taking action to
strengthen practice. Consequently, children's welfare needs are typically met well, and they
are emotionally secure, happy and ready to learn.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. They quickly settle into play, confidently
self-register and move independently between activities. Children feel safe and secure
because they form warm, trusting relationships with staff who know them well and respond
sensitively to their individual needs. As a result, children develop confidence, resilience and
a secure sense of belonging.
Children enjoy a rich range of experiences that spark their curiosity and imagination. They
eagerly hunt for bugs, explore herbs in the sensory garden and listen carefully to the sounds
of rain falling on different surfaces. Children delight in sharing their ideas and discoveries
with adults and each other. They remain deeply engaged in learning and show genuine
excitement and a love for learning when investigating new concepts and solving problems.
Children develop remarkable social skills and show an abundance of kindness towards
others. They willingly share resources, take turns and help their friends. For example,
children offer water bottles to their peers, listen attentively when others share their
experiences and celebrate each other's achievements through clapping and cheering.
Children learn alongside one another in an inclusive environment where differences are
respected and everyone is valued.
Children overcome significant barriers to learning and wellbeing successfully. Children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities communicate their needs with increasing
confidence, engage in activities they previously avoided and participate fully alongside their
peers. Children who have experienced anxiety or difficult life circumstances develop
friendships, independence and emotional security. For example, children who were once
reluctant to separate from parents now arrive confidently, join activities enthusiastically and
talk positively about moving to school.

Inspector:
Laura Paternoster
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2812159
Address:
8 Centurion Close
Shoeburyness
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
SS3 9UT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 26/09/2024
Registered person: Friars Centre Playgroup
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Children thrive because they feel cared for, included and listened to. They attend regularly,
enjoy learning immensely and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their
next stage of learning.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen daily mealtime experiences so that all children consistently
have opportunities to develop independence and self-help skills in readiness for their next
stage of learning.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinator,
children and parents during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:30
Local authority: Southend-on-Sea
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 15 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 4
Total number of places
46
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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