Roberttown Lane Pre-School

A bamboo cave and sweetcorn grown from seed give Roberttown Lane Pre-School’s October 2022 daily life a practical, outdoorsy character. Based at The Scout Hut in Liversedge, the setting has capacity for 24 children. Ofsted rated it Good on 5 October 2022.

Children attending in October 2022 were aged two to four. The strongest detail is the connection between play and everyday skills: gardening, counting games and managing personal care all gave children things to practise for themselves.

In October 2022, stories were read daily and revisited, with animated delivery encouraging children to listen and anticipate the next development. The early years foundation stage is the framework for children’s learning, development and care; here, its practical expression included stories, movement, number play and creative activities.

Hopscotch combined physical movement with counting. Younger children received help matching their counting to individual numbers, while older children recognised numerals during the game. Making a fish from coloured shapes brought another mathematical idea into creative play.

Outdoor activity in October 2022 included exploring the bamboo cave and growing sweetcorn. Children planted seeds, watered the plants and harvested the crop in autumn, giving them a sequence to follow over time. Community gardening and a local gardening competition extended this activity beyond the pre-school.

Music also featured in October 2022: children sang familiar and new songs, varied their volume and played instruments. The improvement priority was more consistent vocabulary development. Instrument names were one missed opportunity to add precise words to an enjoyable activity.

At the October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding, strong emotional wellbeing and tailored care, with staff recognising developmental concerns promptly and working with other professionals to support learning. These findings matter for families seeking both sensitive day-to-day care and a response when a child needs additional help.

In October 2022, weekly stay-and-play sessions helped children become familiar with the setting before starting, and parents received information about their learning. Familiarisation had a practical role in settling.

Independence was evident that October in children dressing for outdoor play and managing handwashing themselves. Traditional games gave them opportunities to wait for a turn, while scissor activities were adapted to their stage of development. These were small, repeatable steps towards doing more independently.

The address is The Scout Hut, Roberttown Lane, Roberttown, Liversedge, WF15 7LF.

In October 2022, attendance ran during term time, Monday to Friday: Monday sessions lasted from 9am to 12.30pm, with Tuesday to Friday sessions running from 8am to 4pm. The shorter Monday made the weekly pattern uneven. At that time, funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

• Language development. The October 2022 improvement priority concerned extending vocabulary more consistently. On a visit, look for staff adding specific words during music and play.
• The weekly timetable. October 2022’s Monday session was shorter than those later in the week. How does today’s attendance pattern fit your working week?

Roberttown Lane Pre-School’s October 2022 strengths were practical learning, outdoor activity and opportunities for independence. Its term-time pattern then suited families seeking a shorter Monday session alongside longer attendance on Tuesday to Friday. Vocabulary extension remains the useful point to explore when weighing that dated Good judgement.