Toad Hall Pre-School

Independent choices, storytelling and unusually positive behaviour give Toad Hall Pre-School its character in the April 2022 account. Based at St Gabriels Church Hall on Hyde Park Road, Plymouth, PL3 4JN, it has 26 places in total.

At its April 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes and Good education. Children attending then were aged three to four. Its practical appeal included morning and afternoon sessions during term time.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, bringing learning and everyday wellbeing together. In April 2022, children explored number through counting buttons onto cookie pictures, practised letter shapes in coloured rice and acted out familiar stories with props. These were concrete ways to practise counting, writing movements and spoken language.

Choice had a visible place in the day. In April 2022, children selected activities, attached pictures beneath their names afterwards and discussed their learning together. The discovery area used dough and cutlery to practise skills useful for eating independently; the role-play bakery brought recipe books into imaginative play.

Physical activity included outdoor play and large indoor climbing apparatus in April 2022. There was a counterweight: lengthy seated activities sometimes reduced children's attention, and teaching during freely chosen play and outdoors needed to respond more closely to each child's next learning step.

At the April 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and found that support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities involved clear strategies agreed by the special educational needs coordinator and key person, with parents and outside professionals involved. This connected support across the adults working with a child.

Everyday care also had practical teaching content in April 2022. Children used dolls to discuss emotions and practised toothbrushing on a model mouth. Key-person groups explored food choices and drinking water, making health part of learning rather than a separate topic.

Home and pre-school learning were connected in April 2022 through books children could take home and wow certificates completed by parents. Sharing achievements gave children something personal to discuss with their peers. A local police patrol officer also visited occasionally.

In April 2022, attendance ran Monday to Friday during term time: morning sessions were 9.10am to 11.40am, lunch club ran from 11.40am to 12.40pm, and afternoon sessions were 12.40pm to 3.10pm. These were separate parts of the attendance offer, useful for families considering shorter sessions.

Free early education funding for three- and four-year-olds was received in April 2022. The address is St Gabriels Church Hall, Hyde Park Road, Plymouth, PL3 4JN.

• Learning during play. In April 2022, teaching needed closer links to individual next steps during free play and outdoors. Ask how practitioners now extend a child's chosen activity.
• Time to move. Seated adult-led activities sometimes weakened concentration in April 2022. A visit can explore how movement and group learning are balanced today.
• Session fit. The April 2022 offer combined morning sessions, lunch club and afternoons during term time. What attendance arrangements and funding terms apply now?

Toad Hall merits consideration for families looking for morning or afternoon preschool sessions, with the April 2022 account showing practical learning, independent choices and connections with home. The balance between adult-led routines and active, individually supported play is the key point to explore. Its Good judgement provides a dated assessment, alongside clear areas for development.