St Wilfrid's Pre-School

Books to borrow for home and weekly physical education gave St Wilfrid's Pre-School a recognisable mix of literacy and movement in October 2023. Based within St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School in Hartford, it combines a preschool setting with practical links to the next stage of education.

At its 11 October 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children made good progress. It has 30 places in total and accepts children from 24 to 60 months.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, the October 2023 examples included number songs, puzzles and learning through play. Activities built on earlier learning, with increasing difficulty and encouragement to persevere.

In October 2023, children used cards bearing their names and labelled their artwork, connecting writing with something personally meaningful. An on-site library let them choose books to take home, extending reading beyond the preschool day. Number recognition and counting were practised through songs and practical play.

Story illustrations also mattered in October 2023: children used pictures to interpret books, alongside discovering that written words carry meaning. Reading therefore involved understanding a story as well as recognising their own names. The number activities had different starting points, with younger children identifying numbers and older children practising counting in order. Familiar songs brought repetition into that work. These examples give parents concrete ways to understand the learning: choosing a book, interpreting its pictures, recognising a number and rehearsing a sequence each exercised a different skill.

Weekly physical education lessons in October 2023 gave children opportunities to develop coordination, balance and strength. Outdoor play added movement, while children also chose games alongside activities organised by adults. That balance gave them opportunities both to follow an activity and pursue their own interests.

A difficult jigsaw provided another October 2023 example of how staff extended an activity. Adults encouraged children to keep working at the puzzle and recognised their efforts until they completed it. The challenge was practical and visible: children had a problem to solve, with encouragement while they tried. Alongside the physical education lessons, this showed different kinds of practice within the day, from working through a puzzle to exercising balance. New tasks drew on learning children had already encountered, giving them opportunities to revisit skills before tackling something harder.

In October 2023, warm relationships with staff helped children settle, and humour featured in their play. Staff shared tasks effectively, helping them respond to children's needs. These are useful details for families weighing the everyday relationships behind the overall grade.

The October 2023 account also described children enjoying each other's company and forming friendships. Dough play and running outdoors were examples of children taking pleasure in their activities, while the wider atmosphere was calm. Those details add a social dimension to the books and number work: children were spending time with peers as well as practising individual skills. For a family considering preschool, that distinction matters because the everyday experience includes relationships and shared play alongside planned learning.

Safety routines in October 2023 included checking outdoor equipment before use and counting children when moving between parts of the school. Staff had safeguarding training and knew how to respond to concerns. Relationships with the host school's teachers and senior staff also supported preparation for moving on.

The address is Greenbank Lane, Hartford, Northwich, CW8 1JW. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the setting closes for school holidays. Families should weigh that holiday closure against their childcare needs.

In October 2023, the preschool provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Attendance at the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place at its host school.

• Conversation during play. In October 2023, adults introduced vocabulary but sometimes left too little room for children to sustain a two-way exchange. At a visit, ask how staff now encourage children to contribute and extend a conversation.
• Quieter children in groups. In October 2023, group activities did not consistently draw out less-confident children's ideas. Ask how activities now give those children opportunities to participate.
• Term-time planning. School holidays are closure periods. Ask which booking patterns and funded arrangements fit your family's weekly routine.

St Wilfrid's suits families seeking term-time preschool care, with a school-based setting and practical preparation for moving on. The October 2023 picture combined books, physical activity and caring relationships. The important questions concern how conversation and group participation have developed since then, especially for a child who needs encouragement to speak.