The Kindergarten at St Joseph's

A willow arch, a pebble pit and two gardens give The Kindergarten at St Joseph's a recognisable character: this is a preschool where outdoor play has several different settings, rather than a single patch of space. Its home is Epsom’s Timber Hut, which shares a site with St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. Children can move between creative work indoors, building outdoors and quieter play beneath the willow.

The nursery has capacity for 40 children, with a current age range of two and a half to five. At its 2 October 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good and safeguarding effective, and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received good support. That judgement comes with a specific teaching improvement: staff needed to respond more effectively when children lost interest during their chosen play.

Term-time attendance is central to the offer. Funded-only school-length days from Monday to Thursday and Friday mornings provide different attendance patterns; D2D separately serves children attending the primary school.

Rooms and Ages

Two large indoor play spaces serve different purposes. The mainly carpeted area has accessible resources children can choose and tidy independently. Mostly non-slip flooring makes the second space suitable for preschool art and messy play; D2D uses it for meals and creative projects.

Accessible equipment lets children select activities themselves.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the statutory framework for learning and care. Here, play reflects children’s ages, development and interests, combining their own choices with planned activities and adult-led learning.

Circle time begins the session, followed by activity choices indoors or outside. Songs, stories and rhymes bring children back together at the end. This gives the day a recognisable shape while leaving room for individual interests. Snack breaks also have a learning purpose: children discuss food preferences and try different tastes in small, supervised groups.

In October 2024, communication received close attention. Staff used Makaton alongside visual prompts and children’s home languages to help them communicate; repeated group discussions also practised listening. This matters for children who are still developing spoken English, because participation need not depend entirely on understanding spoken instructions.

Paper-boat making provided another concrete example that month. Folding introduced children to shapes through something they could make and handle. The teaching limitation was equally specific: during some child-chosen activities, adults did not change their approach soon enough to sustain interest and develop the learning. The issue concerned how staff responded during play, rather than whether activities were planned.

Outdoor and Community Life

The front garden has several different play surfaces. A mud kitchen supports mixing and messy exploration, while the pebble pit gives children materials to collect and compare. Bikes and crates add movement and construction. The willow arch provides shade, giving quieter play a place alongside the more energetic activities.

The grassy back garden includes a willow den and is used in drier weather. Plants grown in both gardens give children changes to observe alongside their games.

In October 2024, regular town outings helped children learn about their surroundings, including different kinds of homes. Forest school sessions had also been introduced following staff training. The admissions arrangements include Forest School as an additional session option, with a once-a-week frequency; its practical content is a useful topic for a visit.

Relationships and Communication

Settling was personalised in October 2024. New starters became familiar with the setting and their key person through arrangements tailored to them, giving the relationship time to develop. For a child beginning preschool, that individual starting point matters as much as the eventual timetable.

Famly brings messages, absences, invoices, accident reports and learning updates into one app. The weekly newsletter reviews activities and previews plans, connecting everyday administration with children’s progress.

In October 2024, staff also exchanged information with families in person. That complements the app: a brief conversation can add context to a written update, while the digital channel keeps information accessible beyond collection time.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked with other professionals to tailor SEND support, including drawing on training to recognise children who needed help with speech. The useful detail is the mechanism: individual needs were linked to outside expertise and staff development, rather than addressed through a single approach for every child.

In October 2024, pictures helped children recognise feelings, and adults discussed emotions with them. Children also practised everyday independence, including managing belongings and putting on outdoor clothing. These are small tasks with a clear purpose: they build familiarity with routines that children will use when they move on to school.

All staff hold paediatric first-aid qualifications. Healthy habits also featured in October 2024, including handwashing, conversations about food and attention to teeth. Snack breaks continue to provide opportunities to discuss healthy eating and encounter unfamiliar tastes.

Sessions and Attendance

Preschool opens from 8.40am to 3.10pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. Funded-only attendance runs from 8.40am to 2.40pm on Monday to Thursday, with Friday running from 8.40am to 11.40am. The wider setting’s 7.30am to 6pm opening window includes D2D school-age care and should be read separately from the preschool timetable.

The 2025-2026 session timetable offered a Short Day from 8.40am to 2.40pm, Morning from 8.40am to 11.40am and Afternoon from 11.40am to 2.40pm, with a Day Extension from 2.40pm to 3.10pm. Children aged two to three are expected to attend at least two sessions weekly on separate days; preschool-year children are expected to attend at least four sessions, with a school day counting as two. This is an important distinction for families planning a gradual start.

D2D serves Reception to Year 6 children attending St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. Breakfast begins at 7.30am, and breakfast service stops at 8.15am. The later after-school option requires the child to have a school club booked beforehand. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email, and visits can be arranged during a preschool session.

Getting There

The address is The Timber Hut at St Joseph's, Rosebank, West St, Epsom, Surrey KT18 7RT. The building occupies the primary-school site, but attending the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place; families still need to use the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers 15 hours funded childcare and 30 hours funded childcare, subject to the relevant eligibility requirements, over 38 term-time weeks. Its arrangements include fully funded sessions and attendance combining funding with paid time. Tax-Free Childcare payments are also accepted.

Lunch and snacks are charged separately when supplied by the nursery; families can instead send a packed lunch for a school day and provide their child’s snacks. Forest School is an additional session option, and extra attendance beyond funded hours can be paid for separately.

Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation. The sessions and fees page sets out the attendance options and the choice between contributing towards food and bringing it from home.

• Starting pattern. Children aged two to three are expected to attend at least two sessions weekly on separate days; preschool-year children at least four, with a school day counting as two. At a visit, discuss how the personalised settling approach would fit that attendance pattern for your child.
• Teaching during chosen play. The October 2024 improvement concerned adults responding when children’s attention drifted. Ask how practitioners now recognise those moments and adjust an activity to keep learning moving.
• School-age collection times. D2D’s after-school start is given as 3pm in its service description and 3.15pm in the admissions arrangements. Resolve that timetable difference before organising collection or combining care with a school club.
• Forest School and food choices. Forest School is an additional weekly option, while nursery-supplied lunch and snacks carry separate charges. Discuss what the session involves and how food from home would fit your child’s attendance.

The Kindergarten at St Joseph's suits families seeking funded-only school-length days from Monday to Thursday or Friday morning sessions during term time, with regular weekly attendance expected. Its strongest practical features are the contrasting indoor spaces, two gardens and accessible resources that let children make choices for themselves.

The October 2024 judgement balances good provision with a specific teaching improvement. Communication support, individual settling and Famly add practical substance. D2D serves school-age children separately; sharing the primary-school site gives no admissions guarantee.