Thornhill Community Pre-School

Growing ingredients for soup and using songs to support handwashing give Thornhill Community Pre-School’s November 2022 experience a practical character: learning connected to things children could do for themselves. Ofsted rated the setting Good on 18 November 2022.

Based at Thornhill Sure Start Childrens Centre on Edge Lane in Dewsbury (WF12 0QT), the pre-school has capacity for 42 children. In November 2022, children attending were aged 0 to 5; that age range describes the inspection period.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care, bringing play, communication and growing independence into their day. In November 2022, language and mathematics ran through activities: outdoor play introduced words about position and quantity, while stories, rhymes and singing gave children opportunities to practise communication.

Sensory exploration was hands-on. In November 2022, children investigated porridge oats through smell, taste and texture, then added water themselves to change the mixture. Preschool children also rolled and cut play dough into pretend pizzas, combining imaginative play with practice using their hands.

The outdoor area supplied another connection between doing and learning. In November 2022, children grew seeds, harvested produce and used it for smoothies and soup; parents could taste their creations. Children had also recently explored the Kindness Festival alongside Anti-Bullying Week, with activities about kindness and accepting others. These experiences connected practical skills with relationships and the wider world.

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children progressed well, support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities was effective, and safeguarding arrangements were effective. Staff understood how to raise concerns and had current safeguarding training at that time.

Daily routines also built independence in November 2022: children managed coats, washed their hands and helped clean tables ahead of snacks. Staff knew children’s starting points and what they needed to learn next, giving activities a purpose beyond keeping children occupied.

Home learning received attention too. In November 2022, staff supplied resources for use during holidays, while staff development included observing colleagues, training and supervision. Snack discussions explored fruit through its smell, texture and origins. The improvement priority was to extend children’s understanding of healthy and unhealthy food, including during packed lunches and group activities.

In November 2022, the pre-school operated on weekdays during term time, with session times of 8am to 4pm. It provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four at that time. These are historical attendance and funding arrangements.

The pre-school is based at Thornhill Sure Start Childrens Centre on Edge Lane in Dewsbury (WF12 0QT).

• Attendance pattern. The November 2022 arrangement was term-time weekday provision, with sessions from 8am to 4pm. What attendance pattern now fits your family’s working hours and holiday needs?
• Food learning. In November 2022, children grew ingredients and discussed fruit, but developing their understanding of healthy and unhealthy foods remained an improvement priority. This matters for families who want everyday eating routines to reinforce food knowledge.

Thornhill’s November 2022 experience suits parents who value practical learning: growing produce, exploring materials and practising independence through ordinary routines. The dated term-time pattern also points towards families seeking care around the term calendar. Healthy-eating education was the specific area requiring further work, alongside otherwise positive inspection findings.