Charnwood Pre-School & Out of School Club, Thurmaston

A private garden, neighbouring playing fields and surrounding woodland give this Church Hill Road preschool a clear outdoor character. Charnwood Pre-School & Out of School Club, Thurmaston combines early education with care for older children, so its identity extends beyond the preschool classroom.

At its January 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good progress. That is a dated judgement: the practical appeal today is the enclosed garden and proximity to playing fields surrounded by woodland, while the inspection gives a detailed picture of teaching and care at that time.

Preschool provision serves children aged 2 to 4 through funded, term-time attendance; before-school, after-school and holiday care serves children aged 4 to 11. These are different offers for different stages of family life.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. In everyday parent language, it connects play with developing communication, movement, independence and the skills children need as they grow.

In January 2023, activities made those connections concrete. Children traced fruit with coloured pencils, practised ball skills using hoops and rackets, and explored balance by constructing a bridge from wooden blocks. These were opportunities to use hands, bodies and language together, rather than treating early learning as a sequence of seated tasks.

Reading also had a place in the day. In January 2023, children listened to stories with adults, and the book of the term, I Like Myself, prompted conversations about difference and individual identity. The useful detail is the discussion around the book: stories became a starting point for children to talk about themselves and others.

There was an important teaching limitation alongside those examples. In January 2023, some adults asked questions too rapidly, leaving children struggling to organise an answer. Giving a child time to think matters as much as introducing new vocabulary. The improvement requested was more precise questioning with enough space for a response.

Outdoor and Community Life

A private, enclosed garden gives children outdoor space within the setting. Nearby playing fields surrounded by woodland add to the surroundings.

In January 2023, preschool children could take part in forest school, outdoor learning that introduced the natural world through physical exploration. Younger children went on nature walks to local parks, building stamina before taking part in that provision. These are inspection-time examples, rather than a promise about today's programme or frequency.

Other January 2023 activities brought nature into smaller moments. Children fed birds and discussed robins and blue tits; an outdoor kitchen supported imaginative play. Listening walks connected sounds from birds, cars and trains with new words and road-safety habits. The learning came from paying attention to familiar surroundings.

For older children, the club follows Playwork principles: children direct their own play, with adults helping them pursue it. That gives the school-age offer a different emphasis from preschool education, with access to play and sporting experiences.

Relationships and Communication

In January 2023, key-person relationships were practical rather than simply organisational. Staff knew children's individual needs and responded when a child required help, using activities that interested them. Familiarity gave adults a way to bring children back into participation.

Independence was developed through ordinary routines at that time. Children practised pouring drinks, using cutlery and handling equipment such as a pencil sharpener safely. Help with cardigan buttons offered another small opportunity to work towards doing things for themselves. These examples explain school preparation more usefully than a broad promise of readiness: children were practising everyday actions they would need beyond preschool.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the January 2023 inspection, Ofsted found effective support arrangements for children with SEND and children learning English as an additional language, including targeted plans from the special educational needs coordinator and simple signing during activities. Those mechanisms matter because they connect individual needs with what staff actually do during the day.

Hygiene was the significant weakness in care routines in January 2023. Adults sometimes wiped children's noses for them rather than teaching the skill, and handwashing after this was inconsistent for staff and children. This was more than a missed opportunity for independence: it was an improvement point about everyday hygiene practice. It belongs alongside the positive care findings when families weigh the dated assessment.

Sessions and Attendance

The setting is at 104a Church Hill Road, Thurmaston, LE4 8DE. The preschool offer is term-time only, with funded attendance for children aged 2 to 4; the club provides care before and after school and during holidays for children aged 4 to 11.

Families arranging care for different ages should plan separately for term-time preschool and the older children's holiday provision.

Funding and Paid Extras

Preschool children can use the 15 or 30 hour funding offer on a term-time basis. Funded entitlement and the child's attendance arrangement should be considered together: the term-time structure is central to how this preschool fits a family's week. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

For enquiries, the branch can be contacted on 0116 319 5610 or at thurmaston@cnpg.uk. An in-person visit can also be arranged.

• Term-time preschool. Funded preschool attendance is term-time only, while holiday care serves children aged 4 to 11. Families needing preschool care through school holidays should weigh that distinction before choosing an attendance pattern.
• Time to answer. In January 2023, rapid questioning sometimes made it difficult for children to respond. During a visit, ask how adults now pace questions and leave children thinking time.
• Hygiene routines. January 2023 improvement points included nose-wiping independence and inconsistent handwashing. Ask how those routines are taught and reinforced today.
• Funded-place costs. The preschool offers 15 or 30 funded hours. Before booking, request a written breakdown covering meals, non-food consumables and any additional paid hours.

This setting suits families seeking term-time preschool places and those seeking before, after school and holiday care for older children. Its enclosed garden provides outdoor space, with playing fields surrounded by woodland nearby.

The January 2023 assessment supports a positive view of the education and support provided then, with specific reservations about questioning and hygiene. Those reservations deserve attention alongside the appealing outdoor space and practical independence activities. The strongest fit is a family whose childcare needs match the distinction between term-time preschool and school-age club care.