Chalk Hill Pre School

Chalk Hill Pre School is a small Watford setting with capacity for 25 children aged nine months to five years. Its home is Bushey and Oxhey Methodist Church, 77 Chalk Hill, Watford WD19 4DA. Ofsted judged it Good in September 2021, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes and effective safeguarding arrangements.

That inspection is now historic, but its detail is useful. In September 2021, children formed close bonds with staff, joined activities eagerly and treated one another with exceptional kindness. The setting operates during term time.

In September 2021, staff adapted activities across the ages attending together. An office role-play area gave younger children practice in recognising basic numbers while older children tackled more complex ideas. A spider investigation became a chance for staff to ask age-appropriate questions, wait for answers and extend children's thinking. This was purposeful teaching rather than activity for activity's sake.

The curriculum was sequenced towards school readiness. Staff built finger strength for later writing and used what they knew about children's prior learning to choose next steps. The Early Years Foundation Stage means children develop across areas of learning through play, routines and adult-guided experiences, with practitioners observing progress and planning next steps. At Chalk Hill, the inspection recorded age-matched questions and time for children to develop and discuss their ideas. That matters in a setting spanning babies to preschool children: the same activity need not mean the same level of challenge.

Yoga, breathing exercises and growing fruit and vegetables added concrete experiences to that foundation. Children used a spiraliser to prepare snacks while staff encouraged them with positive language and praise. The garden produce also connected growing with healthy food, rather than treating the two as separate topics. In September 2021, children showed high motivation in their play and participated eagerly in the activities available.

In September 2021, children sought affection when tired and shared stories with staff in a quiet reading area. Egg timers helped them resolve disagreements over resources independently. Staff modelled manners at lunch, eating alongside children and supporting them to wait until everyone was seated and use cutlery correctly. These routines connected emotional security with growing independence.

Safeguarding was effective at that inspection. Staff could identify and escalate welfare concerns, with suitable supervision and safety checks in place. The improvement point was parent partnership: leaders were asked to reflect more thoroughly on parents' feedback and use it to strengthen learning at home.

The inspection also found that staff knew children's abilities and next learning goals. They used information about prior learning to support what came next, while praise encouraged children to persist. Combined with the quiet reading area and mindfulness practice, this described care that attended to both learning and emotional wellbeing. It remains a dated picture, not a claim about the current team.

The setting is open in term time and closes during school holidays. Its address is Bushey and Oxhey Methodist Church, 77 Chalk Hill, Watford WD19 4DA. Families should request a current written quotation directly from the nursery.

The capacity figure describes the setting as a whole and does not promise that a place is free on a preferred day. The age range runs from nine months to five years, so families should discuss how children of different ages are organised within the provision when visiting.

• Current daily pattern. Ask which term-time session patterns and collection times are currently sold. This decides whether the provision fits a family's working week.
• Parent partnership. Ask how the setting now gathers feedback and shares ideas for learning at home. This follows the sole improvement point from the September 2021 inspection.
• Inspection age. The Good judgement dates from September 2021. Families should weigh the detailed strengths from that visit alongside what they observe of the current team and routines.

Chalk Hill Pre School's strongest documented quality is the way teaching and care met in small moments: an egg timer resolving a dispute, a spider prompting sustained talk and lunch becoming practice in patience. The historic inspection found secure relationships, thoughtful teaching and exemplary behaviour. It is best suited to families seeking term-time childcare in a small setting who value calm routines and school preparation, while recognising that the most detailed account of practice comes from 2021.