Kiddiewinks Pre-School

Bug hunts, homemade kites and experiments with kitchen herbs give Kiddiewinks Pre-School its character in the April 2023 account of daily life. Based at Salisbury Road Baptist Church in Plymouth, it has capacity for 26 children. At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective.

Children attending in April 2023 were aged two to four. The strongest practical thread was learning through children's interests: something discovered outdoors could become a conversation over a snack, rather than an isolated activity.

In April 2023, the preschool used two rooms within the church and a garden for exploring minibeasts. Children searched for insects, then used pictures during snack-time conversations to revisit their discoveries. This connected exploration with opportunities to practise language.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children's learning, development and care; here, the April 2023 activities included playful work with numbers, language and imagination. Children counted water splashes and joined number songs. Parsley and basil became ingredients for pretend potions, with lemon squeezers providing opportunities to explore equipment and unfamiliar vocabulary.

Dashain, a Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal, supplied another April 2023 activity: children made kites while learning about its kite-flying tradition. Costumes and cardboard constructions supported imaginative play, while a cardboard hideaway also offered somewhere quiet. These examples show how ordinary materials could serve different interests.

In April 2023, parents could spend the opening 30 minutes playing alongside their children and discussing development with staff. Conversations also included ideas for continuing learning at home. This gave parent communication a place within the session itself.

Small groups helped older children practise listening and confidence in April 2023, while rhyming activities supported children needing extra help with communication. Staff also invited school staff and childminders to exchange knowledge about individual children, helping new adults become familiar before transitions. Training covered oral health and supporting children through grief.

The limitations mattered too: at the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that younger children and newcomers needed better support to communicate their needs, and that whole-group activities needed closer adjustment to individual learning. Some children became frustrated when adults misunderstood what they wanted.

The address is Salisbury Road Baptist Church, Rosebery Avenue, Plymouth, PL4 8SX.

In April 2023, opening hours were 9.15am to 1pm on weekdays, during term time. Funded early education was offered for children aged two, three and four. These are dated arrangements, relevant to families considering how preschool attendance would fit around work and care elsewhere.

• Support for newcomers. In April 2023, communication support did not consistently help younger children make their needs understood. Ask how staff now support a child who cannot yet explain what they want.
• Learning in larger groups. April 2023 activities did not always build on each child's existing abilities. Discuss how group activities are adapted for different stages of development.
• Attendance arrangements. The April 2023 opening window was confined to term-time weekday mornings. What attendance pattern and funded-hours arrangement would apply to your child now?

Kiddiewinks suits families drawn to interest-led preschool experiences and opportunities to participate in their child's learning, as illustrated in April 2023. Garden discoveries, kite-making and imaginative use of cardboard give that picture substance. The Good judgement provides a dated assessment; communication support for newcomers and the organisation of larger-group learning remain the key points to explore.