Borden Village Pre-School

Speech, stories and shared discoveries give this village pre-school its character. The Balanced System, a project supporting children with speech, language and communication needs, sits alongside a play-based approach in a purpose-built setting. For parents, the useful combination is attention to communication and a clear connection between learning at home and learning at pre-school.

Ofsted rated Borden Village Pre-School Good on 6 July 2023. Children attending then were aged two to four; the setting has capacity for 26 children in total. That whole-setting figure should not be read as the number attending any particular session.

Term-time attendance comes in full-day, morning and afternoon patterns. The practical distinction is important: families can choose a shorter session or a day spanning both sessions, while planning separately for school holidays.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning through play, with activities shaped around children's interests and development. Here, that means starting with what engages a child and using it to extend their learning, rather than treating play and education as separate parts of the day.

The Balanced System adds a specific speech and language strand. The pre-school joined the project in September 2022, responding to communication needs and waits for speech and language therapy after referral. Stories, rhymes, songs and word play are part of its approach. For a family concerned about language development, this gives a concrete starting point for discussing support rather than a broad promise about individual care.

In July 2023, early writing grew out of making marks, while shared stories prompted children to join familiar refrains and discuss characters. Mathematics also had a practical setting: growing beans became an opportunity to compare size, and a hopscotch game involved recognising numbers. These examples connect developing skills with things children can handle, watch and talk about.

There was an important qualification to that picture. In July 2023, some activities offered too little challenge because planning did not target each child's next learning step closely enough. Interesting activities alone are not the whole test; the important question is whether they move an individual child's learning forward.

Outdoor and Community Life

In July 2023, the garden supported close observation of living things. Children watched caterpillars develop into butterflies, and a wormery gave them another way to investigate nature. These were tangible experiences, with changes to notice over time, rather than nature being confined to pictures and stories.

Community involvement also brought different experiences into the setting that July. A farmer brought a tractor for children to investigate, and a vicar read stories. People with experience of other parts of the world shared their cultures. The value was direct contact with people and experiences beyond the children's own households; these are dated examples, rather than a timetable of current visitors.

Relationships and Communication

Learning Book is the online journal used to connect families with the child's day. A key person adds observations and relates them to the curriculum, while parents can contribute achievements from home. Curriculum reviews are sent three times a year. This gives families both ongoing glimpses of learning and scheduled opportunities to consider development over a longer period.

In July 2023, staff gathered detailed information when children joined, and parents received guidance on supporting learning at home. Links with other childcare providers included coordinating toilet training and sharing information about care and education. For children attending more than one setting, that coordination mattered because the adults could work towards consistent arrangements.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well supported, with the SENCO involving external professionals and additional funding supporting speech and language work. These findings belong to that inspection date.

The current team arrangements include designated safeguarding and SENCO lead roles, with staff trained in safeguarding and SENCO work. Most team members hold Level 3 childcare qualifications, and the team includes a qualified teacher. Regular meetings and training delivered by external trainers provide a structure for updating practice.

In July 2023, books helped children explore difficult feelings, and everyday routines encouraged independence. Children put activities away before lunch and those leaving collected their belongings themselves. Small responsibilities made self-care part of the ordinary day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is School Lane, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8JS. Attendance is term time only, across 38 weeks each year, with bank holidays closed.

Monday to Friday, the full day runs from 8.50am to 2.50pm, the morning session from 8.50am to 11.50am, and the afternoon session from 11.50am to 2.50pm. The afternoon begins when the morning ends, so each pattern has a clear boundary. These are daytime arrangements, which families need to fit around their own working and collection commitments.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 01795 421221. Families are also welcome to look around and meet the team.

Funding and Paid Extras

In July 2023, the pre-school received early education funding for children aged two, three and four. Paid sessions are charged termly, and outings incur a separate charge from ordinary session activities. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Children attending a full day bring a healthy packed lunch from home; snacks and drinks are supplied during sessions. The pre-school has a published policy excluding nuts and seeds, and asks families to leave sweets and chocolate out of lunchboxes.

• Individual challenge. July 2023 planning sometimes failed to stretch children through their specific next learning steps. During a visit, ask how practitioners now choose and adapt activities for your child's development.
• Term-time rhythm. The 38-week year and 2.50pm full-day finish suit a school-day routine. Families needing care through holidays or later afternoons will need to account for those boundaries.
• Lunch and allergies. Full-day children bring their own lunch, and the food policy excludes nuts and seeds. Allergy-affected families should confirm current practice, including how packed lunches are managed.

Borden Village Pre-School suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions, as well as a full day within school-day hours. The Balanced System and Learning Book give its offer useful substance: one addresses communication needs, the other links home and pre-school learning. The dated Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by a specific concern about individual challenge. That is the point to explore closely when deciding whether the setting fits your child.