Cheldern Nursery and Pre School

The working farm setting gives Cheldern its clearest character: sheep shearing and farming role play brought the surrounding community into children's learning during its first graded inspection. This is care with a rural setting and practical experiences to match.

Cheldern Nursery and Pre School has capacity for 66 children from birth to five at Scadghill Farm, Stibb, Bude. Ofsted judged it Good and safeguarding effective at the inspection spanning 28 November 2024 to 18 February 2025. Behaviour management and the consistency of support interventions were the important reservations.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, linking communication, physical development and growing independence with everyday experiences.

In November 2024, stories, singing and rhymes formed part of daily life. Adults added vocabulary through conversations about children's activities, while familiar books encouraged children to anticipate the next part of a story. Language learning had a practical place in the day.

Outdoor equipment provided climbing and balancing opportunities in November 2024, and babies had space to practise crawling and walking. Farming experiences included watching sheep shearing and imaginative farm play. Older children also practised preparing snacks with knives: a purposeful task requiring concentration and controlled hand movements.

In November 2024, settling arrangements were tailored to individual children, with a key person helping each new starter become familiar with adults and surroundings. Daily conversations and online updates kept parents informed about learning. Older children practised managing coats, waterproof clothing and their own personal care, giving independence a concrete meaning before school.

At the November 2024 to February 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) had support plans, but uneven staff practice sometimes prevented planned interventions from helping them make the progress intended. Plans alone were not enough; consistent delivery mattered.

Behaviour expectations also varied in November 2024. Some preschool children could leave adult-directed activities while others were expected to stay, and younger children were prompted to apologise without an explanation that helped them understand the disagreement. These were practical issues affecting children's understanding of boundaries.

The address is Scadghill Farm, Stibb, Bude, EX23 9HN. Opening hours are 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with Christmas and Bank Holiday closures. The opening window gives families a useful starting point for fitting care around work.

In November 2024, Cheldern provided funded early education for children aged nine months upwards. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise about an individual child's funding.

• Consistency of support. The November 2024 to February 2025 findings identified uneven delivery of interventions, including for children with SEND. Families should weigh how reliably an individual plan translates into daily practice.
• Clear boundaries. Behaviour expectations differed between children in November 2024. A shared approach matters when young children are learning what adults expect.
• Attendance arrangements. Opening hours run from 8am to 5.30pm on weekdays. At a visit, ask which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your family's week.

Cheldern suits families drawn to a farm setting, outdoor physical activity and practical steps towards independence. Its November 2024 experiences gave children tangible things to explore and do. The Good judgement is encouraging, but the concerns about behaviour and intervention consistency deserve equal weight when deciding whether its care fits your child.