Kiln Hill Pre-School

Friendship, conversation and learning to do things independently give Kiln Hill Pre-School its character. Based in Mitchell Memorial Hall in Tweedmouth, it takes children from age two until they start Reception and has 26 places in total. This is a preschool offer, with everyday play carrying much of the learning.

At its January 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective. The practical choices include morning and afternoon sessions, with breakfast and lunch clubs extending the arrangements around them.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, the January 2024 examples show how conversation, movement and hands-on play contribute to that learning. Children counted their balloon hits during a physical game, combining number practice with keeping the balloon airborne. In sand activities, they compared filled buckets by size and weight and explored how much they could hold. These are concrete ways to make mathematical ideas part of play.

Storytelling also had a clear purpose in January 2024. Staff returned to selected books so children could recognise familiar phrases and participate in repeated passages. That gave children a way into the story rather than leaving them only to listen. Staff followed children's interests when shaping play, while the programme aimed to develop skills for later learning.

There were limits to this approach. In January 2024, the order of learning needed more careful planning so new experiences built more consistently on what children already knew. Some children also struggled to take part in routine tasks or reach resources during freely chosen activities because of constraints on space and equipment. Engagement alone did not settle those issues.

Outdoor and Community Life

Community connections brought the wider world into the setting in January 2024. Visitors included local businesses and the police, giving children contact with people beyond the preschool team. Conversations about other communities and traditions extended that work. The value was practical: children had people and examples to connect with discussions about how others live.

Relationships were a central part of the January 2024 nursery day. Children formed friendships, staff took their ideas seriously, and story and circle-time discussions helped children think about feelings such as fear, happiness and calm. Independence was visible in small tasks too: children used tissues themselves, washed their hands before eating and helped one another with the taps. These examples show the social and self-care skills being practised alongside play.

At the January 2024 inspection, Ofsted found strong relationships with families and coordinated SEND support through the special educational needs coordinator, staff, parents and other professionals. Review meetings, assessments and agreed strategies helped organise children's next steps; staff also received professional instruction for administering medication where individual needs required it.

Family involvement had several concrete routes in January 2024. Parents could attend stay-and-play sessions, borrow resources to use with their children and receive newsletters. Staff shared messages about food choices, dental care and online safety, and directed families towards other agencies when additional help was needed. Contact therefore extended beyond a brief conversation about the day. The current team structure also includes key person roles.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 8.45am until 11.45am; afternoon sessions start at 12.30pm and finish at 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Breakfast club starts at 8am, and lunch club sits between the morning and afternoon sessions. The clubs offer a way to extend a session or connect the two parts of the day.

In January 2024, the setting operated during school terms. Holiday information also warns that use of the hall can require extra closures or changes to dates. Updates go on the entrance whiteboard and in newsletter diary dates, with an aim of giving at least two weeks' notice where possible. Families need to include those communications in their childcare planning.

Getting There

The address is Mitchell Memorial Hall, Kiln Hill, Tweedmouth, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 2EZ. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01289 330052 or by email to kiln.hill@yahoo.co.uk; arrangements with other local childcare providers also support a drop-off and pick-up service.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for three- and four-year-olds and qualifying two-year-olds. Private payment applies to sessions for two- and three-year-olds who are not funded. Uniform is optional, so it is a family choice rather than part of the attendance requirement.

• Learning and access. January 2024 improvement points concerned the order of learning and children's access to routine tasks and resources. On a visit, ask how activities now build on previous learning and how children reach materials during freely chosen play.
• Shared hall closures. Changes can arise when the hall cannot be used by the preschool. The aim is at least two weeks' notice where possible, so the whiteboard and newsletter diary matter for families arranging cover.
• Session-day essentials. Morning and afternoon bookings can be extended through breakfast or lunch club. Before choosing that arrangement, ask what families should provide or pay for food and everyday consumables.

Kiln Hill suits families seeking morning preschool sessions or afternoon attendance, with clubs around those sessions adding practical flexibility. Its January 2024 examples give substance to the emphasis on friendships, language and independence: familiar stories, shared play and everyday self-care all had a role. The learning sequence and access to resources deserve attention when choosing it. The strongest fit is a family that values those preschool experiences and can plan around the hall's closure arrangements.