Visitation Pre-School

Storytelling, conversation and learning to manage small tasks give Visitation Pre-School its clearest character. At its November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Outstanding overall, with language development, carefully chosen resources and children's independence among its strengths. The examples are practical: discussing ideas, handling outdoor equipment and serving a snack rather than simply being entertained.

Based in the Old Church Hall on Greenford Road, the pre-school accepts children aged two to four and has 30 places in total. This is preschool provision rather than baby care. Its partnership with families includes an allocated keyworker, gradual settling and opportunities for parents to contribute to the group.

Paid sessions and full-day care sit alongside Breakfast club and wraparound provision for children attending Our Lady of the Visitation Nursery. Those different arrangements deserve attention when matching care to the family week.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the curriculum through communication, movement, relationships, literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. For parents, that means learning extends beyond letters and numbers: talking, playing, managing feelings and becoming physically confident are part of the educational day too.

In November 2022, speaking and listening received particular attention following the pandemic's effect on children's communication. Staff encouraged children to explain their thinking and used questions to extend conversations. Activities grew from observations of children's interests and abilities, giving adults a starting point that was relevant to the child rather than a fixed task for everyone.

Books carried more than a storytelling role that November. Staff selected them for vocabulary, rhyme, counting and opportunities to discuss the wider world; children became familiar enough with favourites to participate. Natural materials were also used inside and outside for investigation and problem-solving. These are concrete examples of how the curriculum took shape at that time.

Outdoor and Community Life

Paint, water, sand and play dough form part of the current offer, alongside climbing equipment. Clothes need to cope with messy activity, and practical footwear matters for climbing. The emphasis is on participation rather than keeping an outfit pristine.

In November 2022, children steered bicycles and dolls' prams around the outdoor space, practising coordination and judging room around other children. Indoors, they managed their coats and served fruit and vegetables with tongs before pouring their own drinks. Small physical tasks became opportunities to practise independence.

Occasional outings take small groups to the library or post office, while a summer outing includes parents or carers. These extend activity beyond the setting and give families a shared experience. Neither arrangement should be read as a weekly trip programme.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a keyworker who provides a consistent contact for concerns. Settling is paced around the child: parents are encouraged to remain until their child is comfortable, with brief separations gradually lengthened where appropriate. Families and staff can adjust the approach together if separation becomes difficult.

Developmental observations are shared with parents, and regular newsletters cover events, term dates and practical requests. A parent rota also allows family members to help in the group. In November 2022, spoken updates and communication books connected home with the pre-school's learning activities, providing more than a brief account of what a child had eaten or played with.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and found that individually planned support helped children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language achieve well. Those are dated judgements, rather than a prediction about any individual child's experience now.

Children may attend in nappies or pull-ups, and staff coordinate toilet training with the approach used at home. Applying barrier cream requires written permission; medicated cream needs written instructions and a letter. This makes readiness for independent toileting something to work on together rather than an entry condition.

In November 2022, staff had time allocated for planning and training, with a welfare lead available to colleagues. Children also discussed feelings and how their choices affected others. The practical emphasis was on understanding routines and treating other children kindly.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Old Church Hall, 358 Greenford Road, Greenford, UB6 9AN. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form. Paid options include a three-hour session and full-day care lasting six hours and 15 minutes; the daytime opening windows are Monday to Friday, 9.15am to 12.15pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm.

Breakfast club runs from 8.30am to 9.15am, with breakfast followed by activities such as puzzles or drawing. In November 2022, the pre-school operated during term time. Wraparound care has a minimum booking of two days and requires a parent contract and registration pack.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted from a child's second birthday, including working-family and eligible two-year-old funding, universal 15-hour Nursery Education Grant funding and additional 30-hour funding for three- and four-year-olds. Acceptance of funding does not establish an individual family's eligibility.

For universal funded sessions, additional charges cover administration, resources, toiletries and a snack; the additional-funded arrangement also includes a charge for lunch supervision. Opting out of the universal-session extras depends on a place within the charge-free arrangement, capped at three places, with a waiting list otherwise. These conditions matter when comparing the cost of funded attendance with private sessions.

Lunch comes from home, while funded-session snacks are included in the separately charged extras; breakfast is separately charged through Breakfast club. Toiletries and resources are also separately charged within the funded extras. The food policy excludes items containing nuts or traces of nuts, and families must communicate allergies and dietary needs.

Fees are payable in advance, remain payable during illness or absence, and withdrawal or a reduction in sessions requires four weeks' written notice. Current prices come in the pre-school's written quotation.

Getting There and Moving On

There is no designated parking, and cars must not enter the church grounds for collecting or leaving children. This rules out using the church area as a convenient stopping place.

The pre-school describes itself as working in partnership with Our Lady of the Visitation Nursery, offering wraparound care and sharing developmental records and next steps. Attendance does not guarantee a place at the nursery or primary school; families still use the local authority admissions process for a state-school place.

• Funded extras. Snacks, toiletries, resources and administration form part of the additional-charge structure, while opting out of universal-session extras depends on the charge-free arrangement. Request an itemised quotation for the attendance pattern you intend to use.
• Settling pace. Parents can stay while their child adjusts, with separation increased gradually. At a visit, discuss how this would work alongside your own commitments.
• Food allergies. Lunch is brought from home and the food policy excludes nuts and traces of nuts. Allergy-affected families should confirm current handling arrangements, including shared birthday treats.
• Travel routine. The church grounds cannot be used for car collection or drop-off. Consider how the approach to Greenford Road will work with your child and daily timetable.

Visitation Pre-School suits families seeking three-hour sessions or full days, with Breakfast club offering an earlier start and wraparound care for children attending Our Lady of the Visitation Nursery. Its strongest inspection-era examples concern language, independence and thoughtful support, while current settling and keyworker arrangements give parents a clear role in daily care.

The decision is practical as well as educational: funded extras, packed lunches, notice terms and the parking restriction all affect family routines. The November 2022 Outstanding judgement provides a strong historical assessment, with the present offer best understood through its specific attendance and care arrangements.