St Thomas' Pre-School

A nature garden, children growing plants and football led by visiting teachers give St Thomas' Pre-School a practical, outdoors-minded character. Those experiences formed part of its May 2024 nursery day, alongside play shaped around children's interests. Its base is Marriott Hall in Noak Hill, Romford, and it has capacity for 30 children.

At its 2 May 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective. The useful detail beneath that judgement includes support for language, friendships and learning through exploration, balanced against improvements needed in emotional understanding and everyday independence.

Children aged two to five are welcomed, with funded and privately paid attendance. Full and half sessions provide different attendance options.

Outdoor learning has concrete substance here. In May 2024, children used outdoor areas daily for movement and coordination, while the nature garden gave them opportunities to investigate insects and birds. Growing and tending plants added responsibility to that exploration: children could participate in caring for living things rather than simply looking at them.

Football sessions with visiting teachers added another form of physical activity. Together, these experiences made outdoor time part of learning, with opportunities both to move their bodies and to investigate their surroundings. The nature garden is the clearest physical feature of the setting's educational character.

EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care; here, age-appropriate activities give children opportunities to learn through play. In May 2024, staff planned around children's interests and the next steps they wanted each child to take. That made observation useful to the day's activities, rather than a separate exercise in recording progress.

Language support was woven into play. During May 2024, practitioners described what children were doing, repeated their words with clearer grammar and pronunciation, and introduced additional vocabulary through activities. Picture cards and displays supported communication, including for children learning English alongside another language. For a child still finding the words to join in, those visual prompts provided another way to communicate.

Relationships were a strength of daily life in May 2024. Staff knew their key children, built close connections with families and helped children separate comfortably from parents. Children approached adults confidently, formed friendships and experienced respectful conversation from practitioners. These are useful details for families weighing how a child might settle into group care.

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that practitioners, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and outside professionals, including speech and language therapists, worked with parents to tailor support, helping children progress from their starting points. The mechanism matters: support connected the adults involved in a child's development instead of relying on nursery activities alone.

Communication also had a practical rhythm. In May 2024, parents received feedback each day and updates through an app, giving them ways to follow their child's learning between conversations with staff.

The same month's daily routines showed both capability and unfinished work. Children selected resources, washed their hands and managed some personal tasks themselves. A feelings board introduced emotions during shared activities and play, but staff did not consistently help children explore feelings after small disagreements. Independence also varied between rooms: adults sometimes completed steps children could have attempted themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day and half-day sessions are offered. Opening hours are 9am to 2.30pm from Monday to Thursday, with Friday running from 9am to midday. Friday therefore has a shorter opening window, an important distinction when arranging the working week.

In May 2024, attendance operated during school terms. The setting's address is Marriott Hall, Church Road, Noak Hill, Romford RM4 1LD. Families can make an enquiry through the contact form, email or telephone.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded and privately paid childcare are both offered. The funding routes include the Government 2 year old offer scheme, EEE funded 3 and 4 year olds, and extended 30 hours funded children. Families taking privately paid hours receive current prices in the nursery's written quotation.

• Everyday independence. In May 2024, adults sometimes fetched coats or supplied drinks rather than letting children complete the task. During a visit, look at how children practise these small responsibilities.
• Understanding feelings. A feelings board was used in May 2024, but conversations after disagreements needed more attention. Ask how practitioners now help children explain emotions and understand another child's response.
• Attendance and extras. Full and half sessions sit within a shorter Friday opening window. What would your chosen pattern include for meals and non-food consumables?

St Thomas' suits families seeking either full or half sessions for preschool-age children, with an outdoor emphasis grounded in plant care, nature exploration and physical activity. Its May 2024 strengths were personal relationships, language support and coordinated help for children needing additional support. The balance is clear: everyday independence and conversations about emotions deserved closer attention. Those are practical points to assess alongside the appeal of the nature garden and the attendance pattern.