Scallywags Two Pre-School

Dolls taken on imaginary walks, counting with claps and socks pegged onto a washing line give Scallywags Two Pre-School its character: practical learning built into play. Those examples come from July 2023, rather than a description of today's activities. The setting operates at Dene Holm Methodist Church in Northfleet and has capacity for 30 children.

Ofsted rated the pre-school Good at its inspection on 13 July 2023. The assessment also left two clear priorities: staff needed a better grasp of the curriculum's intended emphasis, and the organisation of resources needed to engage older children more effectively. Both matter when judging how purposeful the play is.

Care is for children aged two to five, with morning and afternoon sessions during term time. This is a preschool arrangement organised around shorter sessions and the term calendar.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, its everyday meaning is learning through play, with opportunities to practise communication, physical skills and early mathematical ideas.

In July 2023, counting was woven into activities rather than confined to a separate exercise. Children counted their claps and used their fingers to represent the amount. That makes an early mathematical idea something children can hear, do and show. Books also prompted discussion: children knew where to find a title on a book's spine.

Communication and language were a curriculum priority at that time, but staff did not consistently turn that intention into the most effective teaching. The important distinction is between choosing an educational aim and making it work during play. A conversation about how practitioners extend children's language would help families understand the daily approach.

Role play gave children another reason to talk together. They planned imaginary outings with dolls and discussed where to go, combining shared play with decisions and conversation. An exotic animal session also gave children an opportunity to encounter unfamiliar animals and touch them. This was an example from July 2023, not a recurring programme.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play in July 2023 included sand, a fishing activity in a water tray and materials for drawing and early writing. Pegging socks onto a washing line added a small practical challenge: squeezing and releasing the pegs exercised hand movements through an activity with a clear purpose.

The same outdoor account exposed a limitation. Resource presentation did not always draw older children into exploration. For a child approaching school age, the issue is whether the environment keeps offering enough challenge, rather than simply providing things to occupy them.

Relationships and Communication

Key-person roles are part of the current Scallywags Two team, alongside designated safeguarding lead and SENCO roles. These give families identifiable responsibilities within the staff structure: a relationship centred on their child, a route for safeguarding matters and a role concerned with additional needs.

In July 2023, staff helped children settle and maintained contact with parents about development and wellbeing. They also learnt words from children's home languages and encouraged children to share experiences of family celebrations. Those are concrete ways to connect preschool life with home, especially when a child is learning English alongside another language.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities highly effective, and care sufficiently individualised to help children make good developmental progress.

The practical support described in July 2023 involved spotting additional needs, agreeing individual plans with parents and seeking advice from a local authority specialist teacher. Rather than treating support as a single intervention, this linked the child's needs, parental knowledge and outside expertise.

The staffing snapshot in July 2023 was 13 employees, with 12 holding relevant early years qualifications. Those are historical team figures, not a statement about current staffing or the number of adults working with any particular group.

School transition also had a practical shape in July 2023. Staff accompanied children to settling sessions with friends and passed development information to teachers. Shared training with local primary schools helped connect preschool learning with the next stage. These arrangements supported preparation for school rather than establishing an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, Monday to Friday. Afternoon sessions run from 12.45pm to 3.45pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The distinction matters: Wednesday is a morning-session day.

Attendance follows a term-time calendar of 38 weeks. Families need arrangements that fit that calendar, rather than assuming preschool sessions cover school holidays. Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 07810 271387.

Getting There

The address is Dene Holm Methodist Church, Dene Holm Road, Northfleet, DA11 8LG. This is the Scallywags Two site; the church address is the useful reference when arranging a visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

The pre-school accepts government funding for children aged two, three and four. Eligible families can access up to 15 hours a week over 38 weeks; that entitlement should be kept separate from any privately paid sessions.

Session charges remain payable when a child does not attend, to retain their place. Payments fall due at the beginning of the week and can be made online or in cash. Families should obtain a current written quotation before committing to paid attendance.

• Older children's challenge. In July 2023, the arrangement of resources did not consistently encourage older children to explore. During a visit, look at how activities sustain interest for children nearing school age.
• Language teaching. The July 2023 curriculum prioritised communication, but staff did not always carry that priority through effectively. Ask how practitioners develop conversation and extend children's ideas during play.
• The weekly pattern. Afternoon attendance runs on four specified weekdays, while mornings run Monday to Friday. Match the actual session timetable and term-time calendar to family commitments.
• Food and everyday supplies. Before agreeing funded or paid sessions, ask what families should provide and whether meals or consumables bring additional charges.

Scallywags Two suits families seeking term-time morning sessions or afternoon attendance on its four afternoon days. Its July 2023 examples show how simple activities can combine conversation, movement and early learning, while its school-transition work gave children practical preparation for their next setting.

The decision deserves attention to the two educational priorities from July 2023: consistent language teaching and enough challenge for older children. For families whose routine fits the session timetable, these are useful points to explore alongside the key-person relationship and individual support arrangements.