Hepworth Pre-School and Out of School Club

In January 2024, book bags to take home, clay work and a climbing frame gave Hepworth’s village-hall provision a concrete mix of reading, making and movement. Hepworth Pre-School and Out of School Club has capacity for 44 children at Village Hall, Towngate, Hepworth, Holmfirth, HD9 1TE.

At its January 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good and safeguarding effective. Children attending then were aged 2 to 11, spanning the pre-school and out-of-school provision. The strongest practical thread was continuity: familiar adults, books shared with families and information exchanged with other settings.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children’s learning, development and care: here, the January 2024 activities included stories, counting, physical play and making marks. These give parents a clearer picture of the day than a curriculum label alone.

In January 2024, children practised climbing and descending the climbing frame, worked clay with tools and drew with their fingers in sand. Small-group and individual story sessions sat alongside books children could choose themselves. Book bags extended that reading into family time.

Mathematical conversation in January 2024 used size comparisons and counting during stories and snacks, with children encouraged to count beyond 20. Yoga and movement sessions added physical activity; children and staff also learnt Makaton signs. The improvement priority was broader thinking: questions sometimes offered just two possible answers, narrowing children’s opportunities to explain their own ideas.

At the January 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that the key-person arrangements helped children gain confidence, support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) was highly effective, and children made good progress. Individual plans, contact with professionals and agency meetings supported that inclusion.

In January 2024, predictable routines helped children understand what would happen next, while familiar adults offered reassurance during play. Newsletters and an online app connected staff with parents. At lunchtime, children helped lay the table and talked with adults about food preferences, giving everyday conversation a practical purpose.

The age-two progress check was shared with parents and other settings in January 2024. Information exchange and relationships with local schools supported preparation for the next stage; this was transition work rather than a named school pathway.

The setting’s address is Village Hall, Towngate, Hepworth, Holmfirth, HD9 1TE.

In January 2024, pre-school attendance followed a term-time pattern from Monday to Friday: sessions ran from 9am to 3pm, with Friday ending at 12.30pm. Out-of-school care operated from 7.30am to 9am and from 3.15pm to 6pm. The shorter Friday is an important distinction for families planning a working week.

Funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds formed part of the January 2024 provision. That dated participation should be kept separate from any decision about funding a place now.

• Thinking beyond two answers. The January 2024 improvement priority was giving children more scope to develop critical thinking. At a visit, ask how staff now encourage children to explain, predict and offer their own answers.
• The Friday finish. January 2024 pre-school sessions ended at 12.30pm on Fridays, earlier than on other weekdays. How does the current attendance pattern fit your working week?

Hepworth’s January 2024 picture suits families seeking term-time pre-school sessions or out-of-school care, with reading at home and communication between settings linking the different parts of a child’s week. Its Good judgement sits alongside a precise improvement task: allowing children more room to think aloud. The village-hall setting and practical learning experiences give this provision its character.