Towntree Pre-school

In October 2024, garden bug hunts, magnetic-shape towers and children practising putting on coats illustrated Towntree Pre-school's practical approach to learning. Its Park Road setting occupies the grounds of Echelford School in Ashford and provides term-time care for children aged two to four. There are 28 places in total.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its 23 October 2024 inspection, with strengths in personalised settling and everyday independence, alongside improvements needed in group activities and the monitoring of teaching. Those details matter more than the grade alone: individual routines were carefully supported, but some shared learning tasks needed better adaptation for younger children.

Morning, afternoon, day care and Flexi day care patterns serve different family timetables. The offer is term-time, so its usefulness depends on how closely that calendar matches a family's childcare needs.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care here. In parent terms, learning includes play, conversation and everyday tasks, rather than being confined to a formal activity.

In October 2024, staff used children's interests to shape activities and build on skills they already had. A spider web spotted in the garden led to bug hunting, with children marking pictures on clipboards. Images of centipedes and dragonflies extended the conversation beyond the creatures children had already noticed. The activity connected outdoor exploration with hand control and knowledge of living things.

Mathematical ideas also appeared in play. In October 2024, children constructed towers with magnetic shapes while staff introduced shape vocabulary, including hexagons. Sharing pretend pizza provided another opportunity for counting, and older children encountered simple addition. These examples show how an ordinary play activity could carry a more deliberate learning purpose.

There was a limitation. In October 2024, some planned group tasks were too complex for children's developmental stages, and materials were not consistently adjusted so younger children could join in fully. For a setting serving both two-year-olds and children approaching school age, adapting a shared activity is an important part of making the day work for everyone.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden supplied both space for outdoor play and material for learning in October 2024. Getting ready to go outside was itself part of the day: older children were given time to put on their coats. That connects the outdoor routine with practising a useful self-care skill.

Relationships and Communication

In October 2024, key persons gathered detailed information about children and their families before planning settling sessions around individual needs. The practical emphasis was on knowing the child first, then shaping the start accordingly. A single settling timetable was not imposed on every family.

Daily conversations and an online platform carried updates about children's development in October 2024. This gave parents two ways to follow learning: a direct exchange with staff and information they could return to at home. Accident records were also shared with parents.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and described effective supervision, regular risk assessments and prompt staff responses to accidents. This is a dated judgement, rather than a guarantee about future practice.

Everyday routines gave children opportunities to do things for themselves in October 2024. Younger children practised spooning cereal into bowls; older children had time to persevere with clothing. A bell signalled the change towards lunchtime, helping children understand when to stop playing and tidy up. These small routines made expectations concrete.

Leadership monitoring needed greater precision in October 2024. Staff development was not consistently targeted at the aspects of teaching that would help children take their next learning steps. That concern sits alongside the difficulty with some group activities and deserves attention when assessing the educational experience.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Grounds of Echelford School, Park Road, Ashford, TW15 1EX. Care is term-time for children aged two, three and four.

The AM Session runs from 8.30am to 11.30am; the PM Session runs from noon to 3pm. Day care runs from 8.30am to 3pm, while Flexi day care extends from 8.30am to 5pm, with collection between 3pm and 5pm. These are separate attendance patterns, allowing families to distinguish a shorter session from a day ending in mid-afternoon or later.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Towntree offers FEET funding (Funded Early Education for Two-Year-Olds), 15-hour funding from the term after a child turns three, and 30-hour funding. Delivery is term-time. Hours beyond the applicable 15- or 30-hour funding are self-funded; families should obtain current prices in a written quotation.

The setting's position within Echelford School's grounds does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to use the local authority admissions process for a state-school place.

• Shared activities and teaching. In October 2024, some group tasks did not suit younger children's developmental stages, and staff monitoring needed sharper attention to teaching. At a visit, ask how activities now accommodate the different ages and how staff receive feedback.
• Term-time timetable. Both care and funded attendance operate during term time. Families needing childcare through school holidays should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.
• School-site expectations. Being within Echelford School's grounds does not secure a Reception place. Treat the preschool choice and school application as separate decisions.
• Planning the day. The choice extends from short AM or PM Sessions to Flexi day care ending at 5pm. At a visit, ask what families need to supply for meals and personal care across their chosen pattern.

Towntree suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those needing day care or the later Flexi day care finish. Its October 2024 examples of individual settling, garden exploration and self-care give substance to the Good judgement. The counterweight is equally concrete: shared activities and teaching oversight needed improvement. Families should judge how those aspects work alongside the attendance pattern they need.