Kidspace St Marys Pre School

At the April 2026 inspection, a pretend pizzeria, a photo signing-in board and children sorting toy cows by size illustrated how everyday play supported talking, counting and independence. Kidspace St Marys Pre School operates from St Mary's Church Hall in Hinckley and accepts children from 24 months to five years. It has capacity for 26 children in total.

At its April 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership and governance to be Strong standard; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines, and children's welfare and wellbeing were Expected standard, while safeguarding standards were met. That is a useful distinction for parents: the educational picture was stronger than the consistency of some everyday habits. Healthy food and drink choices, alongside regular reinforcement of good manners, were the two improvement priorities.

Attendance is term-time, with opening hours of 9am to 3pm on weekdays. The appeal lies in play-led learning, communication with families and practical preparation for the next stage, rather than an extended working-day timetable.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning and care: play, conversation and practical activities help them develop language, physical skills and relationships. Alongside it, the group-wide The Curiosity Approach emphasises children choosing activities and exploring solutions for themselves. Here, that gives families a clear picture of the intended learning style: children have an active part in deciding what to investigate.

The day combines indoor and outdoor play with stories, songs, flashcards and conversations about feelings. Time with a key worker sits alongside observations and next steps, linking what a child enjoys with what they are ready to learn. Toileting, handwashing, lunch and a quiet period also have a place in the routine. Care and learning share the timetable.

In April 2026, staff developed a pizzeria role-play activity from children's experiences outside preschool. Other imaginative play involved a till and pretend money, giving number language a practical purpose. Construction offered another route into counting, while arranging toy cows by size introduced comparison. These are concrete examples of mathematics embedded in something children want to do, rather than detached exercises.

Physical activity was equally hands-on in April 2026: children practised balancing, jumping and climbing, while dough and tools gave their fingers different tasks. A planting activity accommodated both counting petals and exploring the feel of soil and water. The same activity could therefore offer different starting points, rather than expecting every child to tackle an identical task.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play, walks and park visits feature in the daily outline. These sit alongside indoor activities rather than being presented as occasional rewards. For families choosing a church-hall preschool, that balance matters: the day includes opportunities to move beyond seated or table-based activities.

Relationships and Communication

Famly is the communication app used for daily updates about eating, drinking, toileting and activities, with photographs helping parents follow their child's day. It also carries messages and dates. Learning journals gather observations, assessments and children's work; families see them at progress days and receive them when their child leaves. The two serve different purposes: one keeps parents connected day to day, while the other records development over time.

In April 2026, children turned to familiar key persons for comfort and to share experiences. They also used a board with their photographs to sign themselves in and noticed when friends were missing. These small routines gave children a practical role in the group. Independence extended to looking after belongings and fastening coat zips, useful tasks to practise before moving on.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the April 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that support for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language included visual aids, adjusted communication, professional advice and targeted individual or small-group work, with clear progress from children's starting points. The detail matters more than a broad promise of inclusion: support was adapted to how children understood instructions, joined activities and expressed themselves.

In April 2026, visual timetables helped explain what would happen next, and picture prompts supported choices and changes between activities. An emotion board and a lanyard with emotion prompts gave children another way to express feelings. Parents, key persons and staff met to review development, and transition arrangements included sharing information for the next stage, especially where a child had additional needs.

Mealtimes in April 2026 included conversation and children serving their own milk; some snacks and drinks supplied from home, however, worked against the oral-health messages being taught. Rest provision at that time included clean spaces and established sleep procedures. Courtesy was the other unfinished habit: staff sometimes missed chances to reinforce polite language, even though children generally cooperated and formed positive relationships.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Mary's Church Hall, St. Marys Road, Hinckley, LE10 1EQ. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the preschool closes for school holidays. Half-day attendance features in the daily routine, and the admissions arrangements include full-time places. Opening hours and the length of an individual booking should be kept distinct.

Bookings use Kidspaceltd@gmail.com. Before attendance begins, families complete a contract and registration form covering matters such as emergency contacts, collection arrangements, dietary needs and allergies. A waiting list operates. A full-time booking may receive preference over a part-time one, depending on parents' work commitments, occupancy and room availability.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible children aged two, three and four. Term-time contracts allow eligible families to claim 15 or 30 hours each week across 38 academic weeks, with no attendance during school holidays. Eligibility is determined through the government process, and working-parent codes require reconfirmation every three months. These are conditions to plan around, rather than a promise that every family qualifies.

Regular attendance is a condition of the funding arrangements: consistently poor attendance may lead to funding being withdrawn, with the resulting fee shortfall payable by parents. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation.

• Healthy choices and courtesy. April 2026 improvement priorities concerned consistent messages about food and drink and the reinforcement of good manners. Ask how these are now built into snack times and daily interactions.
• A term-time timetable. The 9am to 3pm opening window and school-holiday closures suit a different pattern from year-round care. At a visit, discuss how a half-day or full-time booking would fit your week.
• The complete quotation. Funding is allocated within term-time contracts. Ask for a written breakdown covering private hours, meals, non-food consumables and any additional charges before agreeing the contract.

Kidspace St Marys Pre School suits families seeking either half-day attendance or a full-time term-time place, with play-led learning and regular communication through Famly. The April 2026 picture combines strong educational judgements with specific work still to do on healthy choices and manners. Its most useful features are tangible: children making choices, practising independence and receiving communication support suited to their needs. Families should weigh those strengths against the weekday opening window and holiday closures.