Burniston and Cloughton Pre-school Playgroup

Giraffe models, guitar-led songs and potions in a mud kitchen gave Burniston and Cloughton Pre-school Playgroup a practical, playful character in June 2022. Based at The Reading Rooms in Cloughton, it has capacity for 26 children.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good and safeguarding effective, while identifying communication support and deeper engagement in outdoor learning as priorities for improvement. Children attending at that time were aged two to four.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday routines are opportunities to build skills. In June 2022, staff planned learning each week around children's interests and needs, using observations to identify gaps.

Jungle activities prompted children to make giraffes and discuss their features. Older children explored new vocabulary, while younger children joined puppet-supported stories; smaller story groups gave older children more challenging material. Guitar accompanied group singing, with children following the songs' instructions.

Outdoors, the mud kitchen paired potion-making with recipe cards, and stones in a water tray introduced letter sounds. These were concrete opportunities to connect physical play with language. In June 2022, however, staff sometimes moved away before helping children develop their ideas further, limiting the depth of outdoor learning.

In June 2022, children sought help from staff and practised sharing within predictable routines. Handwashing before lunch and encouragement to keep trying supported everyday independence. Staff prepared children for school through confidence and social skills.

Communication support was uneven in June 2022: younger children and those needing additional help were not consistently drawn into discussions. Staff worked with parents and other professionals when appropriate, but this finding matters for families whose children need help expressing themselves.

Children brought healthy packed lunches in June 2022, and oral-health activities included using tooth-brushing resources. Families also joined Jubilee celebrations and a sports day, connecting the playgroup's activities with village life.

Staff development had a practical structure in June 2022. The manager observed teaching, gave feedback and encouraged staff to reflect on their work.

The address is The Reading Rooms, High Street, Cloughton, Scarborough, YO13 0AE.

In June 2022, opening hours were 8.30am to 3pm from Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 1pm on Friday, during term time. The playgroup then provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. These describe the arrangements at that date.

• Language support. In June 2022, younger children and those needing extra communication support did not consistently participate fully in discussions. This is a significant consideration for families seeking help with language development.
• Outdoor teaching. In June 2022, activities included a mud kitchen and letter-sound play, but adult involvement did not always extend children's learning. The resources and the teaching around them both matter.
• Attendance planning. The June 2022 opening pattern was term-time, with an earlier Friday finish. Which attendance patterns now fit your family's week?

The June 2022 picture suits families seeking a village playgroup with practical activities, stories and preparation for school. It also carries two specific cautions: consistent language support and sustained adult involvement outdoors. Families weighing communication needs should give those findings particular attention.