Higham Village Pre-School

A sensory garden, a vegetable patch and mascots that travelled home with children gave Higham Village Pre-School’s February 2025 provision a character of its own. Practical involvement mattered: children helped prepare snack time and took responsibility for clearing up.

At its 14 February 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good and found safeguarding effective. Based at The Pavilion in Higham, it has 30 places in total; the children attending in February 2025 were aged two to four.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children’s learning, development and care; here, the February 2025 activities translated that into play, conversation and practical tasks. Diggers and trains provided shared interests around which children could play together. Number songs, coloured puzzles and counting lunch-bag contents brought mathematics into familiar routines.

In February 2025, outdoor bikes gave children opportunities to practise coordination, while play dough and cutters exercised smaller hand movements. The sensory garden and vegetable patch added further outdoor spaces shaped around children’s interests.

Stories supported vocabulary and listening. In February 2025, the minibeasts session included recognising and writing names as preparation for school. Children also took the setting’s mascots home and shared family photographs, connecting their experiences beyond the pre-school with activities there.

At the February 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities were very well supported through individual learning plans, staff use of sign language and partnerships with specialist schools and outside agencies.

In February 2025, staff used timers to help children take turns and explained how their actions affected friends. A wow board celebrated individual achievements. Staff also learnt words in children’s home languages to support settling, giving communication a practical role in helping children feel included.

Parents received ideas for extending learning at home in February 2025. Children’s involvement in distributing cups and sweeping up made everyday routines opportunities to practise independence, rather than simply waiting for adults to do things for them.

The address is The Pavilion, School Lane, Higham, Rochester, Kent ME3 7JL.

In February 2025, opening hours were 9am to 3.15pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9am to 12.45pm on Wednesday, during term time. Funded places were offered for children aged two, three and four, and the setting received specific funding for disadvantaged children at that time.

• Attention during routines. In February 2025, noise and the organisation of some routines distracted children from learning. Improving the structure of these parts of the day was the required next step, making this a useful subject for a visit.
• Attendance and funding. The February 2025 timetable followed school terms and had an earlier Wednesday finish. What attendance patterns and funded arrangements would apply to your child now?

Higham Village Pre-School’s February 2025 provision suits families who value practical independence, shared play and individual support. Its garden spaces, home-going mascots and school-preparation activities gave children several ways to participate. The balance is clear: positive care and learning findings sat alongside a specific need to organise some daily routines more effectively.