Jumping Beans Pre-School Greenhithe

In April 2022, science experiments and imaginative play gave Jumping Beans Pre-School Greenhithe a recognisable character. At Greenhithe Community Centre on Alexander Road, the pre-school welcomes children aged two to four and has capacity for 55 children. Its term-time calendar makes it a practical option for families seeking care around school terms.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its 26 April 2022 inspection. The detail behind that judgement matters: children investigated magnets, made a volcano and explored pretend camping and circus games. There were also improvements to make in the management of changes between activities and opportunities for early writing. Both deserve attention alongside the strengths.

Attendance can be built around morning sessions, afternoon sessions or a full day. Breakfast Club adds an earlier start for children already attending.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning and development, with play and observation helping staff understand what a child can do and what support to offer next. The learning journal connects those experiences with future planning: staff record significant moments, consider children's understanding and use that information to think about their next steps. This gives parents a way to see learning beyond a finished picture or model.

In April 2022, science was hands-on. Children mixed liquids to make an erupting volcano and tested materials for magnetism. These examples gave them something to investigate rather than simply an explanation to listen to. Pretend camping and circus play offered a different route into learning, with imagination, movement and shared games taking the lead.

Communication activities in April 2022 included games and simple signing, with staff pairing spoken words such as big and small with signs. Children also explored traditions and languages, including Diwali and a Polish greeting. These were concrete introductions to differences between people, rather than abstract discussions.

Outdoor and Community Life

In April 2022, tyres and climbing frames supported climbing and balancing. Children tried different ways of moving their bodies, giving physical activity a place alongside quieter investigation and role-play. The community-centre address is part of the setting's identity; the practical appeal lies in the combination of indoor experiences and outdoor play described at that visit.

School preparation in April 2022 included counting through play and additional sessions for older children supported by extra funding. Early writing needed more attention, however: opportunities to make marks were uneven across the learning spaces, and adults sometimes wrote children's names before giving them enough opportunity to try.

A key person is allocated when a child starts, providing a familiar contact for the family. If the child forms a stronger connection with another practitioner during the first weeks, that allocation can change. The arrangement follows the child's developing relationship rather than treating the first choice as fixed.

The learning journal begins on the child's first day, with their key person's details and an account of that day. Photographs, brief observations and examples of children's creations build a picture of their experiences; the key person aims to update it weekly. That is an intended rhythm, rather than a promise that every week will bring an entry.

A SENCO is available to discuss developmental concerns, and the key person can refer worries for advice and strategies. Families with existing medical or physical needs can discuss arrangements with the SENCO and share relevant reports and professional contacts. This provides a specific route for planning support around the child.

At its April 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, positive relationships between staff and children, and good progress for children, including those with SEND. In April 2022, staff also exchanged children's learning targets with other settings and outside professionals, including speech and language therapists, helping to connect support across different parts of a child's day.

Current arrangements include paediatric first-aid training for staff and designated safeguarding lead roles. Collection uses recognition of authorised adults and a password procedure for unfamiliar collectors. These are practical arrangements families need to understand before someone different collects their child.

Children bring lunch from home, while the pre-school supplies session snacks including fruit, vegetables, cereal and bread products. Its lunch guidance excludes nuts, sweets and fizzy drinks; families managing allergies should discuss their child's requirements and current food arrangements.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon and afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm, Monday to Friday. A full day runs from 9am to 3pm. These are separate booking patterns, so families can choose between a shorter session and the whole daytime window.

The setting operates during term time. Breakfast Club starts at 8:15am on weekday mornings and is for existing children, with advance booking required. It extends the start of the day for those families rather than creating an evening-care option.

Applications use an admissions form, completed and returned before the visit. Families sign an agreement when accepting a place. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form, with the setting based at Greenhithe Community Centre, Alexander Road, Greenhithe, Kent, DA9 9HH.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the universal 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds, 30 hours for eligible working parents of children aged two to four, and up to 15 hours of early learning for eligible two-year-olds needing additional support. Delivery is term-time. Working-parent applications require a funding code, while the supported two-year-old route requires its relevant voucher code.

Private sessions and hours beyond funded entitlement are charged separately. Fee-paying families receive a term invoice and can pay by session, week, month or term, using cash or BACS. The sessions and fees page explains the attendance and funding structure.

Parents supply packed lunches and, when needed, nappies and wipes. Session snacks are provided by the setting. A non-refundable registration contribution towards administration, a book bag and a learning journal is requested when a place is accepted.

• Changes between activities. In April 2022, some children spent too long waiting between routines and lost engagement. On a visit, ask how staff now organise those changes and keep children involved.
• Early writing. In April 2022, opportunities for mark-making varied between learning spaces and adults sometimes intervened too quickly. Ask how children now practise making marks and attempting their own names.
• Term-time attendance. Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings sit within a term-time calendar, while Breakfast Club is for existing children. Families should weigh that pattern against their holiday-care needs.
• Food and personal supplies. Packed lunches, nappies and wipes come from home, and lunch guidance excludes nuts. Families managing allergies should confirm current practice and discuss individual requirements.

Jumping Beans suits families choosing morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those needing a full day during term time. Breakfast Club offers an earlier start for children already attending. The key-person arrangement and learning journal give families concrete ways to stay connected with their child's experience.

The April 2022 picture combined investigative play, communication activities and physical challenge with weaknesses in routine changes and early writing. Those specific points make useful visit questions. For parents comfortable with term-time attendance and providing lunch and personal supplies, this is a preschool with a clear, manageable attendance model.