Burwood Preschool CIO

Books, growing food and conversations about feelings give Burwood Preschool CIO its character in the January 2023 account of daily life. Based at St Johns on Faulkners Road, Walton On Thames, it has capacity for 28 children.

At its 19 January 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children, including those with additional needs, were progressing well. The children attending then were aged two to four. These are dated findings, rather than a description of today's provision.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the January 2023 examples included language through stories, physical activity outdoors and learning about plants through growing them.

In January 2023, stories prompted discussion rather than simply listening. Staff explored meanings and asked children to consider characters' decisions, giving them opportunities to explain their ideas. A lending library extended access to books into family life.

Reading happened regularly, so books provided repeated opportunities for conversation throughout the day. Questions covered both the meaning of words and what was happening in a story. Children also considered how a character could have acted more safely. This gave storytelling several purposes: understanding a sequence of events, thinking through choices and expressing an opinion to other children. Families used the lending library, connecting this emphasis on language with reading at home.

The garden supplied another practical route into learning. That January, children grew herbs alongside fruit and vegetables, exploring their tastes and smells while discussing healthy eating. Birdwatching brought books and binoculars into outdoor activity. Football, dancing and hopping provided different ways to move.

Growing food connected the natural world with everyday choices about eating. Children could explore how plants developed as well as their sensory qualities, giving the activity more substance than naming foods alone. Birds offered a different kind of discovery: children noticed what they could hear as well as what they could see, then used identification resources to investigate. Outdoor movement also included playing football with friends and dancing to nursery songs, combining exercise with shared activity.

In January 2023, children developed close relationships with their key person and friendships with other children. Emotion stones helped them discuss feelings such as anger and sadness, while sharing cultural foods gave children opportunities to explore differences between families.

Staff observations and assessments helped identify where additional support might be needed that January. Managers understood the processes for involving speech and language specialists and working with the local authority. Additional funding bought resources linked to children's interests and individual learning needs.

The practical sequence matters for families: staff assessed children's development, identified gaps and recognised when further help was needed. Resources purchased with additional funding reflected individual needs alongside children's current interests. Support therefore involved both identifying a difficulty and choosing materials relevant to the child.

During the same period, staff received ongoing training, with appraisals and meetings providing opportunities to raise concerns. Daily checks of the premises and fire drills each term formed part of safety routines. Personal hygiene needed more consistent attention: handwashing routines did not always help children understand why they mattered.

In January 2023, staff understood warning signs that a child might be experiencing harm and knew how to report welfare concerns. Recruitment checks addressed staff suitability, including whether they remained suitable to work with children. Continuing training refreshed safeguarding knowledge. These were practical elements of the arrangements assessed at that inspection, alongside checks of the physical premises and rehearsals of emergency procedures. The hygiene improvement was more specific: children needed routines that helped them understand personal care, rather than merely taking part in it.

The address is St Johns, Faulkners Road, Walton On Thames, KT12 5JB.

In January 2023, opening hours were 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, in term time. At that date, the preschool received funding for free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. These practical details describe the arrangements at that visit.

• Handwashing habits. In January 2023, personal hygiene routines needed greater consistency. For families encouraging independence, this is a useful area to discuss during a visit.
• Attendance arrangements. The January 2023 opening window was a term-time school-day pattern. What attendance arrangements now apply to your child's age and planned days?

Burwood's January 2023 picture suits families who value conversation, books and hands-on exploration: children discussed stories, grew food and used practical resources to talk about emotions. The term-time daytime arrangements described then would suit families seeking care within that window. The dated Good judgement provides a positive assessment, balanced by the specific need to strengthen hygiene routines.