Cheeky Monkeys Preschool

Play dough, real tools and stories acted out together give Cheeky Monkeys Preschool its character: practical experiences with plenty for children to do themselves. Based at Coalville Adult School on Bridge Road, Coalville, it has capacity for 24 children.

At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children attending then were aged two to four. This is an account of preschool life at that time, rather than a description of today's daily arrangements.

In November 2023, activities followed children's interests and built on their existing knowledge. The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care; here, play brought together language, movement and early mathematics. Making play dough involved counting flour scoops and comparing quantities, then shaping the mixture to exercise hands and fingers.

Real tools gave another practical route into learning. Children tapped nails and turned screws in butternut squash, pairing hand movements with new vocabulary. We're Going on a Bear Hunt became a shared acting activity, giving a familiar story a physical dimension.

The outdoor space supported movement games in November 2023. Children changed direction and imitated animal movements, practising coordination while listening to instructions. Indoors, the home corner encouraged cooperative pretend play, while a substantial plastic tray held painting activities using shells, brushes and pine cones.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted identified two teaching priorities: giving quieter children a fairer share of adult attention and helping staff develop learning from children's unexpected discoveries. The squash activity illustrated the latter: noticing its seeds could have led to further exploration.

In November 2023, staff adapted routines for children with SEND, used assessments to identify learning gaps and worked with external agencies. Those mechanisms matter because support could respond to an individual child's needs rather than relying on one routine for everyone.

Everyday independence also had a practical place. During that November, older children organised their belongings, while younger children received reminders and assistance. Pouring drinks at snack time gave children a manageable task to tackle themselves; staff conversations around the table supported speaking and social interaction.

Parents received continuing updates about learning and development in November 2023. Staff also discussed their practice daily, with supervision and observations used to develop their work.

The address is Coalville Adult School, Bridge Road, Coalville, LE67 3PW.

In November 2023, attendance was term-time only. Sessions ran from 9.15am to 12.45pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 9.15am to 3.45pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four at that time.

• Quieter children. The November 2023 teaching priorities included preventing confident children from taking too much adult attention. At a visit, ask how staff now balance participation in shared activities.
• Following discoveries. In November 2023, staff sometimes missed chances to develop spontaneous learning. Ask how a child's unexpected question changes a planned activity.
• Attendance planning. The November 2023 timetable combined shorter sessions with longer term-time days. Ask for the current attendance and funding arrangements before planning childcare around those hours.

Cheeky Monkeys Preschool suits families drawn to practical play, storytelling and growing independence. Its November 2023 attendance model served families seeking morning sessions or longer term-time days. The Good judgement sits alongside specific teaching improvements, making attention to quieter children and spontaneous learning useful points to explore.