Croyland Pre-School

A reading tent and a dentist play area give Croyland Pre-School's October 2023 picture its character: books, conversation and practical learning about looking after yourself. Based at Croyland Youth Centre in London, the setting has capacity for 40 children.

At its October 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good and safeguarding effective. Children attending then were aged two to four. The main reservations concerned how quickly staff received help with gaps in their knowledge and whether quieter children had enough space to contribute.

In October 2023, children chose books in the reading tent and invited adults to share them. Some older children revisited familiar stories independently, using characters and events to follow what happened next. That gave reading a place beyond adult-led group time.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, the October 2023 activities connected stories, conversation and practical play. The Very Hungry Caterpillar prompted discussion about healthy food. In the dentist area, a large teeth model and soft toothbrush let children practise brushing, while occasional dentist visits added another way to explore dental care.

Indoor and outdoor exercise also featured that month. Group stories encouraged participation, but confident voices sometimes took over and quieter children disengaged. The practical question is how each child gets a turn.

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that key persons understood their children, collaboration with other agencies supported learning, targeted funding helped address individual needs, and children's language was developing well. One example was the well-being monster book, bought to help children recognise emotions.

In October 2023, visual cues helped children understand the next activity and what to do. Staff drew on their own experience of speaking additional languages when supporting children who heard or spoke other languages at home. These were concrete tools for making routines and conversation easier to join.

Parent communication also had a practical purpose that month: staff discussed children's learning and next steps, then explained ways to continue that learning at home. Older children practised the confidence and independence needed for starting school.

The address is Croyland Youth Centre, 1 Croyland Road, London N9 7BA.

In October 2023, opening hours were 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four at that time.

• Quieter children. In October 2023, confident children sometimes dominated shared activities. Ask how staff now give less-confident children time to speak and participate.
• Staff development. The October 2023 improvement actions called for faster attention to gaps in staff knowledge. Ask how training needs are identified and followed through.
• Term-time planning. The October 2023 timetable covered weekdays in term time. What attendance pattern would now fit your family's week?

Croyland merits consideration for families seeking preschool learning built around books, conversation and practical independence. Its October 2023 term-time timetable gives the clearest picture of whom it suited then. For a quieter child, participation in group learning deserves particular attention, alongside the response to staff-development needs.