Waltham Pre-School

A Sensory Room within Room 1, story-based emotional support and a curriculum centred on conversation give Waltham Pre-School a clear character. Independence is the connecting thread: children practise expressing feelings, handling everyday tasks and making choices, alongside the play that develops language and friendships. These are useful priorities for families looking beyond a list of activities to how children become more confident.

At its 6 January 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, inclusion, and behaviour and routines to be Strong standard, with curriculum and teaching, welfare and wellbeing, and leadership and governance at Expected standard; safeguarding standards were met. The balance matters. Relationships and inclusion were strengths, while the precision of teaching and the organisation of learning during care routines needed attention.

On Manor Drive in Waltham, Grimsby, the setting has capacity for 193 children, with a current age range of two to five. Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns sit alongside Breakfast Club and Out of School Club, giving families several ways to arrange attendance.

Rooms and Ages

Room 1 serves children aged two to three, combining play chosen by children with adult-planned activities and an emphasis on growing independence. Room 2 is for the final preschool year, using the same balance of child-led and adult-directed learning to prepare children for their next stage. The Nursery Room prioritises communication, movement and social and emotional development through songs, gestures, sensory exploration and early pretend play.

The Sensory Room is within Room 1 and provides space to explore different sensations and practise self-regulation. It gives children another kind of environment within the setting. For a child who needs time to settle their emotions, that physical provision is a useful part of the daily offer.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build language, relationships, movement, early literacy and mathematical understanding through play and everyday experiences. This is the shared early-years foundation, while Waltham's own emphasis puts communication and language alongside children's interests. Conversations are part of learning, rather than something reserved for a formal group activity.

In January 2026, adults introduced vocabulary during play, and children chose and discussed books. Drawing shapes, building with blocks and adding wheeled vehicles combined hand control with imaginative construction: learning through speaking, listening and doing.

In January 2026, some adult-planned sessions lacked a clear learning purpose, so teaching did not consistently address each child's next developmental step. Greater precision was required: staff needed to identify what each child should gain from an activity.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play includes a surfaced play area with safety flooring. In January 2026, children tackled balancing and climbing challenges, practised catching balls and exercised outside in different weather conditions. These experiences put coordination and persistence into physical play, while offering an alternative for children who preferred learning outdoors.

Visits and trips during the year help enrolled children explore their local community, extending learning beyond the setting.

Relationships and Communication

Each nursery child has a key person, and taster sessions support settling. A diary and Tapestry, an online assessment system sharing a child's day and development, help parents follow experiences their child may struggle to explain.

In January 2026, staff adapted settling to individual children, explained routines and calmly helped resolve disagreements over resources. Face-to-face updates kept parents involved. These habits supported children learning to share and manage feelings away from home.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted found effective SEND support through collaboration with families and outside professionals, regularly reviewed support plans and adaptations to the environment. This gives the positive inclusion judgement substance. Support involved identifying individual needs and reviewing what helped, rather than applying the same response to every child.

Emotional support also has a concrete form. Interventions through literature uses stories to explore social and emotional experiences, and short individual sessions can fit into a child's day. Changes such as a new sibling, moving home or bereavement are among the situations this support addresses. Families can raise concerns with their key person or another member of staff, making the response part of an existing relationship.

SEND coordination and designated safeguarding roles provide points of contact, with an open-door approach for sharing concerns confidentially.

In January 2026, low-level sinks supported handwashing and children practised managing drinks and other self-care tasks. However, deployment during meals and sleep routines did not consistently protect opportunities for interaction and learning, leaving some children distracted or frustrated. The required improvement covered routine care, including nappy changing and sleep, as well as planned activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm. The preschool day runs from 9am to 3pm, with morning sessions from 9am to noon and afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm; lunch falls within the afternoon session. Nursery booking patterns are a full day from 7.30am to 6pm, a morning from 7.30am to 1pm, or an afternoon from 1pm to 6pm.

For preschool children, Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am to 9am and Out of School Club from 3pm to 6pm. Both operate Monday to Friday during term time. These extensions make a shorter preschool session and a longer working-day arrangement different options within the same setting.

Nursery and preschool operate across the year, closing for bank holidays and for two weeks at Christmas. Holiday Club serves children aged two to eleven who attend Waltham Pre-School or Waltham Leas Academy during school holidays, with full-day, morning and afternoon patterns and restricted Christmas opening. Out of School Club bookings can be regular or occasional; cancelled or unused Out of School Club sessions are charged in full.

Admissions use a waiting list ordered by date of birth and the setting's admissions criteria, rather than simply by enquiry date. Enquiries go through the main admissions office or the contact form, with telephone contact on 01472 822967. Anyone collecting a child on a parent's behalf must be identified to staff, preferably in writing.

Getting There

The address is Manor Drive, Waltham, Grimsby, DN37 0NU, on the former Leas Infants School site. School-age club children can be escorted to, and collected from, Waltham Leas Primary Academy; attending preschool does not guarantee a Reception place, and families still use the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

The setting offers 30 Hour Funding for eligible families, with an online code supplied to the provider and the extra hours beginning at the next full term. Private sessions are also offered. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the sessions and fees page sets out the attendance choices.

Dedicated cooks prepare fresh meals, with fruit and vegetables provided daily. Nursery session fees include meals and snacks, preschool cooked lunches carry a separate charge, Breakfast Club includes breakfast, Out of School Club includes a light tea or snack, and Holiday Club requires a packed lunch for morning sessions and full days.

Medical conditions and medication information must be kept up to date. After sickness or diarrhoea, children need 48 clear hours before returning, a practical consideration when arranging cover for illness.

• Teaching and daily routines. January 2026 brought three improvement priorities: more precise learning goals, better interaction during care routines, and clearer leadership priorities. On a visit, ask how these changes work during an ordinary activity and the transition into meals or sleep.
• Different attendance packages. Preschool sessions, nursery sessions and term-time wraparound have different hours and meal arrangements. Ask for a written quotation matching your intended pattern, including funded hours, food and any consumables charges.
• Individual support. The Sensory Room and story-based individual sessions provide concrete starting points for discussing a child's needs. Ask how access and support would fit your child's day, including any allergy arrangements.

Waltham suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, a full preschool day, or attendance extended by Breakfast Club and Out of School Club. Communication, independence and emotional support give the offer a coherent direction, with the Sensory Room adding a useful physical resource.

The January 2026 findings give inclusion and relationships considerable weight, but also set clear expectations for sharper teaching and more consistent learning during care routines. For parents, the strongest case rests on those practical support arrangements, considered alongside the improvement priorities and the attendance package that fits their child.