St Pauls pre-school Brinnington

A climbing wall, outdoor chalk and superhero dressing-up give St Pauls pre-school Brinnington's March 2024 picture its character: children tackling physical challenges alongside imaginative play. The setting has capacity for 40 children and is based on Brinnington Road in Stockport.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children made good progress, including those receiving additional support. Children attending then were aged two to four; the attendance model was term-time sessions.

In March 2024, language learning connected words with movement: staff introduced vocabulary about stretching and yawning through actions. The early years foundation stage sets the framework for learning, development and care; here, the inspection-time examples included counting, conversation, imaginative play and making marks for early writing.

Physical activity had tangible challenges. In March 2024, children worked out how to tackle a climbing wall, practised safe jumps and explored tunnels and steps outdoors. Outdoor play happened daily. Chalk patterns on the ground offered another way to practise handling tools and making marks.

Social learning ran through shared activities in March 2024. Children searched for worms with staff, sang together and practised taking turns with cars on a ramp. Superhero costumes gave imagination room to develop. These were experiences with a purpose: movement, cooperation and creative expression were woven into play.

Familiar adults helped children feel secure enough to try new experiences in March 2024. Independence began with manageable tasks, such as hanging up coats, while staff worked with other professionals to identify and put additional support in place.

Safety teaching was practical in March 2024: children were reminded to put scissors down before moving away from the creative table. Staff also reviewed one another's practice and undertook training, making improvement part of the team's work.

Relationships with parents were positive in March 2024, but support for continuing learning at home needed development. The improvement priority was specific: give parents better ways to build on their children's learning beyond the pre-school.

The address is St Pauls C of E Primary School, Brinnington Road, Stockport, SK5 8AA.

In March 2024, the pre-school operated Monday to Friday in term time, with session windows of 8.45am to 11.45am and 12.15pm to 3.15pm. It provided early years funding for children aged two, three and four at that time. Those shorter windows are an important distinction for families planning care around work or other commitments.

• Learning beyond the session. In March 2024, helping parents extend learning at home was the improvement priority. At a visit, ask what practical activities or guidance now connect home and pre-school learning.
• Term-time routine. The March 2024 pattern combined weekday attendance with two short session windows. Families needing care through school holidays should weigh that dated pattern carefully when considering the setting.

The March 2024 picture suits families seeking sessional preschool experiences, with either an earlier or later part of the day represented in its timetable. Physical challenge, imaginative play and language learning give that picture substance. Better support for learning at home was the clear next step.