Allsorts Pre School

A climbing-frame bridge becomes a setting for storytelling; play-dough ingredients become a maths lesson. These March 2024 examples capture Allsorts Pre School's character: children's ideas provide the starting point, with staff adding challenges that take the play further.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Allsorts Outstanding, found safeguarding effective and identified carefully coordinated support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting has capacity for 20 children; those attending in March 2024 were aged two to four.

In March 2024, learning followed children's interests within the early years foundation stage, the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, play brought together language, movement, creativity and early maths.

Maths cropped up in unexpected places. Children considered how long an injury might take to heal during pretend play, measured ingredients for play dough and used numbers to think about voice volume. On the climbing frame, a pretend adventure prompted staff to introduce a related story. Play became an opportunity to connect spoken words, books and performance.

Creative tasks developed in stages: younger children received practical help with sticky tape, while older children used sewing skills. Physical challenges included a wobble board and a low beam, giving children opportunities to practise balance and persist with something difficult. The outdoor space also benefited from collaboration between staff and families.

In March 2024, staff watched children's development closely, with individual support programmes reviewed regularly and a special educational needs coordinator making referrals for specialist help. Children who found separation difficult were given small independent tasks, providing manageable steps towards doing things for themselves.

Communication with families extended beyond pictures of activities. Photos were accompanied by explanations of the learning involved, helping parents continue it at home. Daily rhymes were encouraged to support speech and early reading, while vocabulary was an emphasis in staff training and the curriculum. These are useful examples of how home and preschool learning can connect.

Allsorts is at Bollington St. John's C of E Aided Primary School, Grimshaw Lane, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5LY.

In March 2024, it operated on weekdays during school terms, with sessions running from 8.30am to 4pm. It also provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Those arrangements describe that period rather than a current booking offer.

The preschool operated within Bollington St John's CE Primary School in March 2024. Attending a nursery on a school site does not guarantee a Reception place.

• Term-time attendance. The March 2024 pattern covered weekdays in school terms, with sessions from 8.30am to 4pm. What attendance patterns and funded-hours arrangements apply now?
• A shared school site. Allsorts operated within a primary school in March 2024. Families choosing it with Reception in mind should treat the preschool decision and school application separately.

Allsorts merits consideration by families who value child-led play, practical creativity and learning that parents can continue at home. Its March 2024 examples are persuasive: sewing, balancing and measuring each gave children something concrete to work on. For families seeking term-time attendance, the historical session pattern is relevant, alongside the dated Outstanding judgement.