Venture Kitley Farm

Woodland exploration on the Kitley Estate and Fridays at Mothecombe Beach give Venture Kitley Farm a clear character: outdoor preschool life with sheltered places to eat, rest and warm up. The Yealmpton base sits behind Ben's Farm Shop, with the Venture Hut providing space for crafts and quieter moments. The beach day has its own refuge, Mothecombe Beach house, where cooking and stories sit alongside coastal exploration.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall and in every assessed area. That judgement belongs to a setting whose learning took children from growing seeds to making maps for insects, with adults allowing time for ideas to develop.

Children aged 2.5 to 5 attend, and the nursery has capacity for 30 children in total. Attendance follows Devon term times, with a preschool day and additional morning and afternoon provision through Koselig Club. For parents, the central choice is whether this outdoor routine fits their child's interests and the family's weekly timetable.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning and care here: in May 2022, children practised early learning skills by counting seedlings, experimenting with materials, sharing books and making written marks during pretend play.

The garden supplied substantial projects. In May 2022, children planted seeds, considered their growing conditions and moved them into a greenhouse; working together on a scarecrow gave them another problem to solve. Their Bug Hotel involved thinking about what different creatures needed, then drawing a map and discussing how insects might find it. These examples show parents how an interest in living things became an opportunity to plan, explain and cooperate.

Language and early writing also had practical purposes in May 2022. During pretend cake making, one child fetched paper and a clipboard to record ingredients suggested by others. Books and rhymes introduced words connected to children's surroundings. Measuring themselves against a pole, counting plants and exploring patterns through stories gave mathematical language a place in play. There was substance behind the outdoor setting.

Materials invited experimentation too. In May 2022, flour in the outside play kitchen became part of an imagined ice cream business and cake making; adding water prompted children to investigate changes. A hammock gave one child repeated opportunities to work out movement and a safe way to get out. These were concrete examples of children testing ideas, with adults observing closely and allowing attempts to unfold.

Outdoor and Community Life

Current exploration extends from the preschool garden into the Kitley Estate and its woodlands. Fridays take the preschool group to Mothecombe Beach, with Mothecombe Beach house available for warming by the fire, cooking and storytelling. The change of setting is part of the weekly rhythm, so families need to be comfortable with both a garden base and a beach day.

The Venture Hut gives the base an indoor place for eating, resting and play throughout the year. Children can make things there or help build a fire for warmth in cold or wet conditions. It is a useful physical detail for families weighing outdoor education: shelter is part of the offer, and quieter activities have a place alongside exploration.

Fireside Fridays serve a different purpose from the preschool beach day. This weekly community session welcomes families into the Kitley garden for play, campfire stories and conversation, from 10am to noon on term-time Fridays. Families can drop in without booking. It offers a social connection to the setting for parents and children together.

In May 2022, routines encouraged children to manage small tasks themselves. Songs helped signal snack time, and children gathered their belongings before sitting together. When opening food packaging proved difficult, they tried first and could turn to another child for help. For families interested in independence, the relevant detail is this patient attention to ordinary tasks.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and exceptional progress from children's starting points, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Those are dated judgements, rather than a promise about an individual child's future experience.

Communication in May 2022 included daily information about routines and activities, alongside photographs, progress updates and next learning steps. Campfire evenings also gave parents opportunities to explore ways of supporting play at home. This combination connected the child's nursery experiences with family life, offering more detail than an account of which activities had taken place.

Practical toileting arrangements at Kitley include flushing toilets in sheds and a separate changing shed for nappies and potty use. The facilities matter for younger children whose self-care is still developing, especially within an outdoor day.

Koselig Club provides a gentler extension to the preschool timetable. Its morning session includes breakfast cooked over a fire, warm drinks and stories; afternoons bring snacks, stories and quieter activities after the main day. These are specific routines attached to this branch's additional hours, giving parents a picture of what that extra time involves.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Kitley Estate, Yealmpton, Plymouth, Devon, PL8 2LT. The core preschool day runs from 9am to 3pm. Koselig Club adds morning provision from 8am to 9am and afternoon provision from 3pm to 4pm Monday to Thursday, subject to confirmation of Thursday's morning arrangement. Friday preschool runs only from 9am to 3pm at Mothecombe.

Opening hours are 8am to 4pm Monday to Wednesday, 8.30am to 4pm Thursday, and 9am to 3pm Friday, with the Friday preschool session at Mothecombe. Attendance operates within Devon term times. The differing Thursday arrangements need attention when planning an early start.

Children must be 2.5 before the term in which they start. Intake is intended to coincide with the beginning of a term, and the main allocation for the start of the school year takes place in June. A registration charge applies, with a full refund if a place cannot be offered before the child starts school. Registering therefore begins an allocation process; it does not itself confirm a place.

The branch's contact form and telephone number, 07500927722, provide enquiry routes.

Funding and Paid Extras

Early Years Funding is accepted for 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds, within the setting's age range and term-time attendance. Private paid sessions are also offered. Families using funding receive an invoice requesting a voluntary contribution to the Outdoor Resource Fund, which supports additional outdoor provision. It is a voluntary payment.

The funding and fees page sets out the session structure and this contribution. Keep the funded entitlement, paid hours and requested contribution separate when considering the overall arrangement. For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

• Outdoor comfort. Woodland exploration and the weekly Mothecombe Beach day are central to attendance, with the Venture Hut and beach house providing shelter. During the hour-long open session, discuss how your child would manage the outdoor routine and the transition between active play and rest.
• Thursday starts. Thursday opening is given as 8.30am, while Koselig Club's morning window starts at 8am. These timings conflict, so confirm the Thursday booking arrangement before relying on an early start.
• Term-based entry. Children must be 2.5 before their starting term, and the nursery aims for intake at term beginnings. That rule matters if a birthday falls shortly after the start of term.
• Food and personal supplies. Koselig Club includes breakfast cooking and afternoon snacks among its activities. Ask which food and non-food supplies families should bring, and how these are treated during funded and privately paid hours.

Venture Kitley Farm suits families seeking outdoor preschool education, whether they need the 9am to 3pm term-time day or additional morning and afternoon sessions through Koselig Club. Its strongest practical attractions are tangible: access to the Kitley Estate, weekly Mothecombe Beach exploration and warm indoor spaces at both settings.

The May 2022 Outstanding judgement gives a dated assessment of quality, backed by detailed examples of purposeful play and growing independence. The fit depends on the family's term-time needs, comfort with the outdoor routine and the additional-hours arrangement. For a child who enjoys exploring and trying things out, there is plenty here to consider seriously.