St Bartholomew's Pre-School

Shared lunches with older children give St Bartholomew's Pre-School a school-community character: in October 2024, children ate in the school hall alongside their older friends. This is a small setting in Grimley, Worcester, with 20 places in total.

At its October 2024 inspection, Ofsted graded the pre-school Good, found that children progressed well from their starting points and judged safeguarding effective. The strongest practical themes were close relationships with families, child-led creativity and language development. Greater independence at lunch was the improvement priority.

In October 2024, children developed their own creative ideas, with staff helping them handle scissors, glue and collage materials. Children expressed their own ideas through their work. That gave them opportunities to make choices and persevere with fiddly tasks.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the October 2024 examples included creative play, building together and exploring language through books. During a dinosaur story, staff explained unfamiliar vocabulary rather than simply introducing new words. Children also selected books themselves.

Building towers together gave children practice in cooperation. In October 2024, staff helped them negotiate disagreements and think about other children's feelings. Adults also allowed time for children to consider questions and work towards their own answers.

Settling was gradual and adapted to each family in October 2024, with information exchanged at handovers. This made the relationship with parents part of the settling process, rather than treating it solely as a child's adjustment.

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff used assessment to identify learning gaps and worked with parents, schools, the local authority and other professionals to arrange support. Referrals were made when needed.

Lunch brought children into the wider school community in October 2024, and meals were varied and balanced. However, adults sometimes handled lunch boxes, food cutting and clearing away when children could have attempted those tasks themselves.

The address is Grimley & Holt C of E Primary School, Grimley, Worcester, WR2 6LU. In October 2024, children attending were aged two to four; this is an inspection-time age range.

At that time, attendance ran Monday to Friday during term time, with sessions from 8.30am to 3pm. Government-funded childcare places were offered in October 2024.

The pre-school shares a school site. Attending does not guarantee a Reception place.

• Independence at lunch. In October 2024, adults sometimes took over manageable tasks. On a visit, ask how children now practise opening lunch boxes and clearing up.
• Term-time routine. The October 2024 pattern followed weekdays in term time. Families needing holiday care should weigh that pattern against their working calendar.
• Shared school setting. Children ate with older friends in October 2024. This offers contact with school life, but it carries no guarantee of a Reception place.

St Bartholomew's suits families drawn to a small pre-school and contact with a wider school community. Its October 2024 term-time daytime pattern is the relevant attendance model. Family-sensitive settling and opportunities for children to create and cooperate give the account substance; independence at mealtimes remains the specific point to explore.