Berry Hill Under 5's Group

A playroom with space for construction and books, plus grass and tarmac outdoors, gives Berry Hill Under 5's Group a practical, play-led character. This charity-run setting has capacity for 24 children aged 24 to 60 months. Its scale and layout are useful starting points for families comparing a shared playroom with provision organised into separate age-specific rooms.

At its 16 November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good. That judgement is a dated assessment, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision. The current premises description puts child-chosen activity alongside creative work and an outdoor classroom, giving children different ways to spend their time.

Attendance is term-time, with morning, afternoon and all-day patterns. The shorter Friday arrangement for children using the 30-hour entitlement deserves attention when matching childcare to a working week.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework: children learn through play, with parents involved in their learning and kept informed about progress. Berry Hill also names Birth to Five matters as its curriculum. The useful detail for parents is the organisation of the playroom, where books, building materials, creative activities and child-initiated play each have a place.

That arrangement gives children opportunities to choose an activity rather than spend the whole day following one shared task. A construction space supports building play; the book corner offers a different kind of activity. These are concrete features to weigh against a family's preferences for its child's day.

In November 2022, children chose their own play and sometimes gathered around sand containers, filling and emptying them together. Dolls prompted pretend care, while children made room for others to join their activity. Those examples show how independent choices and social play could happen within the same space.

Story sessions in November 2022 included children taking turns to select a book. Conversations about the illustrations led staff to introduce words for feelings and possible explanations for a character's expression. The learning came from the discussion as well as the story, giving children opportunities to explain an idea and hear another person's interpretation.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outside, an all-weather tarmacked area sits alongside a grassed outdoor classroom equipped with resources. The two surfaces give outdoor activity different settings rather than relying on a single patch of ground. Indoors, the premises also include a kitchen, cloakroom and an accessible toilet with a changing facility.

In November 2022, community outings included the orchard, post office and church. Children had also participated in an Armistice Day remembrance event and contributed to a commemorative time capsule. These were examples of engagement with local life at that time, rather than a current calendar of trips or events.

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding arrangements, good progress from children's different starting points and prompt identification of children needing extra support. Those findings give the Good judgement substance: assessment was connected to children's individual development, rather than simply recording what the group had done.

Day-to-day relationships also had practical expression in November 2022. Staff discussed learning with parents and shared ideas for continuing it at home. Support around potty training was another example of cooperation between the setting and families during a developmental change.

Mealtimes in November 2022 involved staff sitting alongside children, talking with them and helping them practise manners. Children poured their own drinks and put away their lunchboxes. These small responsibilities mattered because they gave children manageable tasks within familiar routines. They remain dated examples of nursery life, rather than a statement about the current food package.

The current staff arrangements include training in paediatric first aid and food hygiene. First aid and food hygiene training address practical aspects of daily care. The accessible toilet and changing facility are also relevant practical features for children still developing independence with personal care.

Sessions and Attendance

Monday to Thursday opening hours are 8.35am to 3.05pm during term time. Morning sessions start at either 8.35am or 9.05am and finish at 12.05pm; all-day attendance runs from either of those starts until 3.05pm. An afternoon pattern is also offered, ending at 3.05pm.

For children using 30-hour funding, Friday is a morning-only session ending at 12.35pm. That condition matters: the Monday-to-Thursday opening window should not be treated as a five-day afternoon arrangement for those children. The separate toddler-group session is currently postponed.

Funding and Paid Extras

The group accepts government funding for two- and three-year-olds, including the 30 hours for working parents, delivered termly across the academic year. Private childcare is also offered for non-funded children. Families should obtain their current prices in a written quotation from the nursery.

Getting There

The address attached to this provider is Five Acres High School, Five Acres, Coleford, GL16 7QW. The current premises description places the group within Berry Hill Primary School's grounds; the address issue is a practical consideration below. Telephone enquiries and a contact form provide routes to the group.

Being based in school grounds does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to use the local authority admissions process for a state-school place, keeping nursery attendance and the school application as separate decisions.

• Site address. The provider's address is Five Acres High School, Five Acres, GL16 7QW, while the contact address is Berry Hill Primary School, Nine Wells Road, GL16 7AT. Confirm the site before arranging a visit; the difference matters for planning the journey.
• Afternoon timing. The afternoon session is written as 12.05am to 3.05pm, alongside morning sessions ending at 12.05pm. Clarify the intended afternoon start before choosing that pattern, and account for the Friday finish for 30-hour-funded children.
• Learning priorities. In November 2022, the improvement priorities were teaching children about digital safety and giving them more experience of cultures, beliefs and traditions beyond their own. A visit is an opportunity to discuss how these now feature in activities.
• Funded-place costs. Termly funding and privately paid childcare are both offered. When requesting a written quotation, ask how meals and non-food consumables are handled for the attendance pattern you are considering.

Berry Hill Under 5's Group suits families seeking term-time provision with a choice between morning sessions and all-day attendance, with an afternoon option also offered. Its shared playroom, grassed outdoor classroom and separate tarmacked area give the offer tangible shape. The November 2022 Good judgement provides a positive dated assessment, with specific improvement priorities that remain useful discussion points.

The shorter funded Friday and the conflicting site addresses carry real practical weight. Families whose schedules fit the session pattern have a clear basis for considering this small setting, while treating its inspection-era activities as examples rather than promises about today's timetable.