The Play Academy
Day nursery in Southsea, PO5. Part of the Portsmouth council area.
37 Elm Grove, Southsea, PO5 1JFWhat Ofsted found
Outstanding Inspected 23 January 2024
| Judgement | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall effectiveness | Outstanding |
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
The highest of the four grades Ofsted gave before report cards. Ofsted now gives report cards instead, so this grade stays until the next inspection.
What a place could cost
The Play Academy sets its own prices. These are the averages for day nurseries in South East, for 50 hours a week in term time once the 30 funded hours are taken off.
| Child's age | You pay a week | About a month |
|---|---|---|
| From 9 months to 2 | £161 | £511 |
| 2 years old | £152 | £480 |
| 3 to 4 years old | £144 | £457 |
A month here is 38 term-time weeks spread over 12 months. Work out your own hours or check your free hours.
The Play Academy against Southsea
| The Play Academy | Southsea average | |
|---|---|---|
| Places | 80 | 63 |
| Ofsted outcome | Outstanding | 100% rated Good or better |
Other nurseries close by
Questions parents ask about The Play Academy
- What Ofsted grade does The Play Academy have?
- The Play Academy was rated Outstanding at its inspection on 23 January 2024, under the grading Ofsted used before report cards.
- How many children can The Play Academy take?
- Ofsted registers The Play Academy for 80 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Southsea has 63.
- How much does The Play Academy cost?
- The Play Academy sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in South East charges £202 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.
- Does The Play Academy offer 30 hours free childcare?
- Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask The Play Academy how it offers them.
- When was The Play Academy last inspected?
- Ofsted last inspected The Play Academy on 23 January 2024. The full report is on the Ofsted website.
- Which nurseries are near The Play Academy?
- Nearby in PO5: Leapfrog Neighbourhood Nursery, Leapfrog Neighbourhood Nursery, Leapfrog Neighbourhood Nursery.
Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.
Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.
Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.