Bodmin Pre-School

Toy spiders that float or sink give Bodmin Pre-School a memorable learning example: in May 2025, children tested their predictions about size and buoyancy, with staff helping them explore their ideas. Everyday play became an opportunity to reason, experiment and explain.

At its May 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good, found safeguarding effective and judged support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effective. The setting has capacity for 26 children, with an age range of 24 to 57 months.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing learning and wellbeing together rather than treating play as time apart from education. In May 2025, staff planned learning around children's interests and developmental stages, while children also chose the direction of their play.

Snack and chat gave conversation a practical setting that month: adults demonstrated ways to begin and sustain a discussion. Food pictures, objects and signing helped children developing speech to express choices and participate. These were concrete ways to make communication part of everyday routines.

The outdoor area had been changed to create more physical play opportunities. In May 2025, children went outdoors daily and joined healthy mover activities involving strength, stamina and balance. Contact with nursing-home residents and police broadened their experience of the community; learning about different countries included food, homes and travel.

In May 2025, staff used their knowledge of families and children's interests to shape learning. Observation and assessment helped identify developmental gaps, and staff worked with parents and other professionals. Additional funding supported extra staffing for children needing adult help, while practitioners learnt alongside SEND specialists at a local school.

Books also provided a route into talking about emotions. Children learnt words for feelings and considered how to respond when someone was upset. The limitation was independence during disagreements: adults did not consistently help children find their own solutions. That matters because understanding another child's feelings and settling a dispute are different skills.

Mary Kendall House, Priory Road, Bodmin, PL31 2AE is the pre-school's address. It opens Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, during term time, and closes for school holidays.

In May 2025, the pre-school offered government-funded childcare and received additional funding for disadvantaged children. Parents supplied healthy lunches, and staff discussed food choices and the importance of drinking regularly with children.

• Term-time rhythm. Opening hours end at 3pm and school holidays are closures. Families needing care beyond those hours need to account for that timetable.
• Resolving disagreements. The May 2025 improvement priority was helping children settle conflicts themselves. Ask how practitioners now teach and practise that skill.
• Funded attendance. Government-funded childcare was offered in May 2025. Which funded attendance arrangements and associated charges would apply to your child?

Bodmin Pre-School suits families whose childcare needs fit its weekday, term-time opening hours. Its May 2025 strengths were concrete: exploratory play, supported conversation and physical activity, with adult help tailored to individual needs. Helping children manage disagreements independently was the clear next step.