Ketton Pre-School

Sooty Bridge, Sinc Stream and the village woods give Ketton Pre-School a day that reaches well beyond its garden. Train watching introduces new vocabulary, stream walks bring wellies into use, and the woodland storytelling area makes room for singing and instruments. These are concrete reasons to consider it for a child who enjoys exploring outdoors.

Within the grounds of Ketton Primary School, the pre-school has its own purpose-built premises and capacity for 24 children. It accepts children over two and a half. At its February 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective. That dated judgement sits alongside a current offer built around outdoor play, village outings and communication through Tapestry.

Attendance follows Rutland school terms, with morning, afternoon and all-day bookings. The practical choice is between shorter sessions and a longer day, rather than between year-round and term-time care.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday experiences help children build language, physical skills and understanding. Here, the surrounding village supplies material for that learning. At Sooty Bridge, watching trains opens conversations about freight, speed and distance; the nearby library lets children choose books to borrow.

Sinc Stream is another named destination, with bridges and stepping stones forming part of outdoor exploration. In the woods, a seated storytelling area supports music and singing. These experiences give children things to discuss and investigate beyond indoor activities, rather than keeping learning tied to a table.

In February 2022, activities connected children's interests with practical questions. Bird-themed play included toy birds and pretend worms, outdoor digging and woodland bird spotting, supported by books and posters. A banana label prompted a conversation about where fruit grows, using a world map. Familiar objects became starting points for wider ideas.

The same month, Winnie the Witch provided a playful route into mathematics: hidden parcels carried challenges, including comparing water bottles by height, with shared craft supplies as a reward. Children also practised counting through games and received encouragement to try again after mistakes. These examples show the inspection-era approach to making abstract ideas tangible.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden gives outdoor play several different purposes. A rope swing and rope ladder support movement; wooden weighing scales and water play invite experimentation; covered sand and mud areas make space for messy exploration. A shade-giving tree adds shelter, while outdoor blackboards give children another place to make marks.

Children can move between indoors and outdoors in any weather, with a practitioner outside. Scooters, building materials and wobble boards add changing choices to the permanent equipment. Parents should expect outdoor clothing to be part of the routine, rather than something saved for occasional trips.

Indoors, the shared play room has children's artwork, a messy play area and low-level washing and toilet facilities. Scheduled access to the primary school's hall adds room for energetic activity. This combination matters for children who need both space to move and opportunities for quieter, hands-on play.

A key worker system gives families a regular connection with staff. Tapestry is the online system used to follow children's development, allowing parents to see progress and contribute to learning. Conversations can also happen by phone or in person, so communication need not depend entirely on the app.

Settling starts before the official first day. Free taster sessions require a parent or guardian to accompany the child, and parents can remain while their child settles. The pre-school encourages a clear goodbye rather than slipping away. This gives families a practical way to introduce separation gradually.

Toilet training is not an entry requirement. Children in training pants are accepted, with staff helping them use the toilet and encouraging greater independence as they grow. Families supply spare clothes, indoor shoes, a coat and wellies, which supports both accidents and the outdoor routine.

At the February 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND were generally progressing well and that leaders worked with families and other agencies, but identified questions that were too demanding for some children and extended group activities that continued after younger children were ready to move on. Both concerns matter: support depends on how an activity is adapted for the individual, as well as whether support arrangements exist.

Current arrangements include discussions with parents and relevant agencies before a child with additional needs starts. Parents must disclose known health conditions, and medicines such as inhalers and epipens can be administered with parental permission. These are specific mechanisms for planning care, rather than a blanket assurance about every child's needs.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Room 3, Ketton Primary School, High Street, Ketton, Stamford, PE9 3TE. The pre-school operates Monday to Friday across 38 weeks of Rutland term time.

Morning bookings run from 8.45am to 11.45am; afternoon bookings run from 11.45am to 3.45pm; an all-day booking runs from 8.45am to 3.45pm. Children must attend at least two sessions each week. That minimum should be considered alongside the session times when planning work or other childcare.

A completed application and a deposit for each booked session are required. The deposit is refunded when the child starts. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01780 721676 or by email at nmileskettonplayschool@outlook.com, including arrangements for a visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government early years funding is accepted, including the universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds, working-family entitlements and funding for families receiving additional support. Funded attendance follows the term-time session calendar; entitlement conditions still apply, and the wider funding age bands do not change the pre-school's own starting age.

Funded families are asked for a separate voluntary contribution towards consumables and enhanced experiences, including gardening supplies, cooking ingredients, celebration materials and additional snacks. Payment is not a condition of using funded hours, and children can take part regardless of whether their family contributes. Current private-hour prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Parents supply lunch in a packed-lunch container with a cool pack; the pre-school provides fruit and vegetable snacks and drinking water. The voluntary funded-session contribution also supports additional snacks and treats, so lunch provision and those enhancements should be considered separately.

Sharing the primary-school site allows use of some facilities and contact with Reception staff to support transition. Attending the pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place; families still use the local authority admissions process.

• Term-time commitment. Attendance spans 38 weeks and requires at least two sessions weekly. Families needing school-holiday care will need to plan around that calendar.
• Activities matched to the child. February 2022 improvement points concerned SEND teaching and recognising when younger children needed a change of activity. During a visit, ask how group activities are adapted and how staff respond when a child disengages.
• Outdoor routine. Stream walks, woodland exploration and garden play are part of the offer. Wellies, a coat and spare clothes belong in the child's bag.

Ketton Pre-School suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions as well as all-day attendance, especially where outdoor exploration is a priority. The village destinations, substantial garden equipment and Tapestry communication give that choice clear substance. The February 2022 Good judgement is useful context, with the teaching improvement points providing a sensible basis for a focused visit conversation.