Plough Green Pre-School

Early writing, conversations supported by signing, and experiments in a mud kitchen shaped children's experiences at Plough Green Pre-School in February 2024. At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated it Outstanding and found that targeted help with language and social skills enabled children needing extra support, including those learning English as an additional language, to make substantial progress.

Based at St Johns Hall in Worcester Park, the pre-school cared for children aged two to four in February 2024.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, children's February 2024 experiences connected language development, early writing and learning to manage feelings with everyday play. In February 2024, group conversations used picture prompts and signing, with children given space to explain their ideas and demonstrate their understanding. Writing had become an activity children wanted to try, including boys.

Outdoor learning offered both stories and messy experimentation. In February 2024, children mixed ingredients in the mud kitchen and explored muddy puddles, with adults choosing when to help and when to let them work things out. These were opportunities to practise persistence and problem-solving.

Animal encounters added another dimension. During that period, events brought children into contact with a therapy dog and farm animals, introducing some to hands-on experiences with animals and teaching safe behaviour around them.

At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, close staff-child relationships supported emotional wellbeing, and staff arranged specialist training when a child's medical condition required it.

Responses to feelings were individual. In February 2024, encouragement helped some children, while others needed an interest box to help them respond differently to their feelings; children also reminded one another to share. Care involved understanding what worked for each child.

Additional funding supported physical development through outdoor equipment for children with weaker physical strength. In February 2024, management was also reviewing parent communication to make it more individually tailored, while staff received training and checks on their safeguarding knowledge.

The address is St Johns Hall, 411 Malden Road, Worcester Park, KT4 7NY.

In February 2024, opening hours were 9am to 3pm on weekdays during term time. At that time, the pre-school received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. These are dated operational details for families weighing the setting against their working week.

• Attendance planning. February 2024 opening hours followed a term-time weekday timetable. What attendance patterns and funded-hours arrangements would apply to your child now?
• Medical preparation. In February 2024, staff undertook specialist training in response to children's medical conditions. Families with medical needs should discuss the preparation their child's care would require.

Plough Green deserves consideration from families who value language development, emotional support and practical outdoor learning. Its February 2024 experiences combined picture-supported conversations with muddy experimentation and animal encounters. The term-time weekday timetable documented then is a useful starting point for families seeking preschool education alongside other care arrangements.