All Nations Pre-School

A church hall, targeted language groups and a parent learning diary give All Nations Pre-School its character. This Christian pre-school at All Nations Church in Bedford welcomes families of any faith or none. Children start from the term following their second birthday, with the prospectus covering ages 2 to 5. There are 32 places in total.

Ofsted judged the provision Good on 21 May 2024, with strengths in children's independence and learning through practical activities, alongside weaknesses in how staff extended learning and organised routines. The balance matters: children had worthwhile experiences, but some activities ended before they had finished exploring them.

Term-time attendance can combine mornings, afternoons and whole days. The strongest reasons to consider All Nations are more specific than its timetable: Lift off to Language groups develop listening and speaking, while the Interactive Learning Diary lets parents contribute to their child's learning record. Families have a role beyond receiving updates.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play, covering language, relationships, physical development and other areas of learning. Here, planned activities build on children's interests, with practical experiences such as sorting, experimenting with materials and making marks. The emphasis is on children doing things themselves, rather than simply listening to instructions.

Lift off to Language groups, developed by speech and language therapists, work on attention, listening and speaking. Older children also take part in Letters & Sounds groups, using rhyme, rhythm and sound activities to develop their listening and early phonics. These are concrete additions to the day, with a clear purpose for children developing their communication skills.

Regular singing is led by a music practitioner, alongside singing together as a group. Creative activities include experimenting with painting techniques, imaginative play and musical instruments. Physical learning combines smaller movements, such as cutting and handling tools, with movement and balance activities. That gives children different ways to practise skills, rather than relying on one kind of task.

In May 2024, children used hopscotch to practise counting and recognising numerals; songs introduced the idea of taking something away. Dough activities exercised their hands, while painting gave them opportunities to explain imaginative ideas. Additional sports sessions supported physical activity. These examples connect early learning with experiences children can take part in and talk about.

Outdoor and Community Life

Sessions use a spacious hall, with other rooms for stories and smaller groups. An outdoor area is accessible during sessions, and local walks and outings extend learning beyond the building.

In May 2024, children planted strawberries and wild flowers, visited a nearby wild flower area and bought food from a local shop. Visitors introduced different jobs: children learnt about a vet's work, while a mental health nurse helped them explore emotions. In May 2024, additional funding also enabled children to participate in the duck hatching project.

The outdoor offer also carried a qualification in May 2024. Fixed group routines sometimes cut short children's chosen activities, including outdoor play. For a child who learns best through movement or extended exploration, the important issue is how much time they have to develop an idea before the group changes activity.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who records development and prepares an individual learning plan each term. Parents can discuss progress with that practitioner and add their own observations. This gives the relationship a practical purpose: what happens at home can help shape what staff plan next.

The Interactive Learning Diary stores photographs, video and audio alongside learning records. Its parent portal allows families to view information and contribute comments; paper copies of learning plans can also be requested. A Parent Plan outlines themes and interests each half term, giving families a way to connect conversations at home with activities in the group.

Settling sessions take place before a child starts. In May 2024, these were flexible, parents received spoken updates each day, and families joined recurring stay-and-play sessions. Books could also go home to be shared. Together, these arrangements gave parents contact with both the practitioners and the learning, rather than leaving communication to occasional meetings.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and recognised successful support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including individual adult support and work with other professionals. The pre-school has a SENDCo role, and its arrangements include discussing a child's needs before starting and planning with relevant specialists. Additional staff may be employed where needed to support a child.

In May 2024, practitioners helped children learning English as an additional language through familiar rhymes and stories. Children also practised everyday independence by pouring drinks and putting resources away. These were small tasks with a useful purpose: children could take responsibility for parts of their own day.

Parents supply packed lunches, which are refrigerated; food cannot be heated, and the pre-school operates a no-nuts policy. Milk or water and snacks are provided during sessions, although families may be asked to supply alternative snacks for a child with an allergy.

For children using pull-ups, parents send replacements, wipes and nappy sacks. They also supply sun cream for staff to reapply after applying it before the session. Staff record nappy changes, so families receive information about this part of their child's care.

Moving to another setting involves a transition report prepared by the key person and shared with parental approval. Primary school staff are invited to visit children. The pre-school has also taken part in transition meetings with schools when needed. The purpose is continuity of information about development and needs, rather than an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

All Nations Pre-School meets at All Nations Church, Brickhill Drive, Bedford, MK41 7QF, during school terms. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, Monday to Friday. Afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday has a morning session only.

Children may attend mornings, afternoons, whole days or a combination. Early drop-off starts at 8.30am, and Lunch Club runs from noon to 12.30pm, allowing children to extend a morning or join before an afternoon. Families can choose a 3pm or 3.30pm afternoon collection; children staying later use a side room for activities.

The usual starting pattern is a minimum of two sessions. That gives families a defined starting arrangement while allowing different combinations of attendance. Bookings are required, and enquiries can be made through the pre-school contact route or by calling 07709234182.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15-hour and 30-hour provision, with eligibility applying to the latter, alongside provision for children eligible for two-year-old funding. Delivery follows the term-time timetable. Paid hours beyond a child's funded entitlement are invoiced each half term, so families using a mixture of funded and private hours need to distinguish the two parts of their booking.

Early drop-off and Lunch Club are charged unless covered by the child's 15-hour entitlement. Fees for paid attendance remain payable during sickness or holidays. Obtain a current written quotation from the pre-school for the intended combination of sessions and extras.

Lunch food and the personal supplies described above come from parents, including for funded attendance. Snacks and drinks are provided during sessions; allergy-related alternatives may need to come from home. The lunch arrangement therefore requires daily preparation by families, rather than an expectation of a cooked meal at the setting.

• Time to finish an activity. In May 2024, routines sometimes interrupted children's play and outdoor learning, while some staff missed opportunities to deepen learning. During a visit, ask how routines now allow children to finish an absorbing activity and how staff extend their ideas.
• Wednesday and term-time cover. Afternoon sessions operate on four weekdays, with Wednesday restricted to mornings, and attendance follows school terms. Families needing consistent afternoon or holiday cover should weigh this timetable against their working pattern.
• Christian identity. All Nations is a Christian pre-school open to children of any faith or none. A visit is an opportunity to discuss how that identity shapes the weekday experience and whether it matches your family's preferences.
• Lunch and allergies. Families prepare packed lunches, and the pre-school's policy excludes nuts. If your child has an allergy, confirm current practice and whether you will need to provide alternative snacks before choosing a session pattern involving food.

All Nations suits families seeking term-time morning sessions, afternoon sessions or a combination that includes whole days. Its language groups, music sessions and parent learning diary give clear reasons to look beyond the basic timetable. Key-person learning plans and transition reports also offer practical ways for families to contribute and carry information forward.

The May 2024 judgement was Good, but the weaknesses deserve weight: extending children's learning and giving activities enough uninterrupted time were both improvement priorities. For families comfortable with its Christian identity, packed-lunch arrangements and shorter Wednesday, this is a pre-school with concrete learning and communication structures to consider.