Hook Pre-School

A church-hall preschool with a genuinely local rhythm, Hook Pre-School combines daily outdoor access with trips to the adjacent park and a home-sharing programme built around four travelling toy monkeys. It has capacity for 40 children and serves children aged two to four.

Ofsted rated the preschool Good in June 2022, with Good judgements across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. The report is now more than three years old, so its observations describe practice at that visit rather than today's routine. Morning sessions run five days a week; afternoon sessions run Monday to Thursday.

The premises are shared with other parish-hall users outside preschool hours, so staff set up and put away the provision each day. Zoned areas cover the Early Years Foundation Stage, balancing child-initiated play with adult-led activity. In plain terms, the framework gives children learning experiences across communication, physical, personal, social, emotional, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive development rather than a school-style timetable.

Outdoor life is unusually concrete. Children have daily free-flow access to planting, role play and activities following their interests. The adjacent park adds room for ball games, listening walks and nature walks, as well as the annual Sports Day and Teddy Bears Picnic. A kitchen supports regular cooking activities, while the snack cafe lets children independently choose healthy snacks and drinks during free play.

Meet the Monkeys Journey connects home and preschool. Four toy monkeys, Jim, Jez, Jo and Jane, go home with children for trips and outings, and the accompanying diary provides news to share with the group. That gives children a ready-made subject for speaking and listening while making family experiences part of group life.

In June 2022, inspectors saw children settle quickly, greet friends and join nursery-rhyme singing. Older children created stories while younger children modelled with dough, giving both age groups routes into early writing. Staff modelled language and listened carefully, although larger group activities did not consistently hold every child's interest; improving that planning was the report's sole recommendation.

Relationships were a clear strength in June 2022. Children asked staff for help, showed kindness to one another and followed familiar routines, with older children helping younger ones to tidy. The key-person system helped staff build on individual abilities and monitor development, making care and learning personal rather than anonymous.

Support for children with SEND was also judged positively at that visit. Staff used signing systems for communication, worked closely with parents and other agencies, and shared information about progress. The current team structure includes a SENCO role. For families whose child needs additional support, that combination makes the setting worth discussing in detail at a visit.

Safeguarding arrangements were effective in June 2022. Staff understood how to respond to concerns, completed relevant training and carried out daily risk assessments. Parents told inspectors that they received information about progress and daily activity, with parent meetings every term and open days providing planned opportunities for conversation.

Sessions and Attendance

Hook Pre-School operates from Hook Parish Hall, Hook Road, Chessington, KT9 1PL. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, Monday to Friday. Afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, Monday to Thursday, with a lunch club from noon to 12.30pm on those four days. The provision operates in term time.

Funded early education is offered for three- and four-year-olds and for eligible two-year-olds. Families should request a current nursery-specific quotation for paid sessions. The published material describes healthy snacks and drinks through the snack cafe, but families with dietary requirements should discuss current arrangements directly.

Setting and Location

The preschool is based in a church hall in a residential part of the Hook ward. Its shared-use model makes the daily set-up part of how the provision works, while the outdoor area and adjacent park extend children's play area for activities and events.

• Session pattern. Friday provision ends after the morning session, while Monday to Thursday can combine morning, lunch club and afternoon. Families needing Friday-afternoon care will require another arrangement.
• Shared premises. The parish hall is used by other hirers outside preschool hours and the provision is set up and put away daily. A visit can help families understand how the zoned areas work in practice.
• Inspection age. The Good judgement dates from June 2022. Families should use a visit to discuss how the preschool has developed larger-group planning since the recommendation made then.
• Dietary arrangements. Children independently access the snack cafe during free play. Families managing allergies or dietary needs should discuss the current snack and cooking arrangements before joining.

Hook Pre-School suits families who value a small-scale, sessional preschool identity over an all-year, long-day model. Its strongest character comes from practical details: daily free-flow outdoor play, park visits, the snack cafe and Meet the Monkeys Journey. The June 2022 inspection gives a positive account of relationships, language support and SEND practice, balanced by a specific improvement point around larger groups.

The pattern is best suited to children needing mornings across the week or morning-and-afternoon attendance from Monday to Thursday. Families seeking Friday-afternoon or year-round care will need a different fit.