Leapfrog Nursery School

Growing produce to take home and climbing a large wooden train gave Leapfrog Nursery School’s May 2022 nursery day a practical, hands-on character. This is the Badshot Lea setting at The Kiln in Farnham, with capacity for 26 children aged 24 to 60 months.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated Leapfrog Good and judged safeguarding effective. The detail matters too: activities followed children’s interests, while concentration, language support and communication with parents needed further attention.

In May 2022, children explored living caterpillars, tended flowers and food crops, and searched through porridge oats for plastic worms to count. These examples connected investigation with number work rather than treating learning as a separate exercise.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build skills through play and supported activities. In May 2022, stories included opportunities for children to invent their own, while dressing themselves and making marks helped them practise skills relevant to starting school.

Outdoor play had a substantial physical element in May 2022. Wheeled toys and the large wooden train gave children opportunities to practise riding and climbing. A large sand timer made waiting for a turn visible, giving sharing a concrete cue.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff knew children well, formed positive relationships and supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities within the nursery’s care.

In May 2022, the Routine Book helped children feel secure and could be taken home to share with parents. It provided a link between home and nursery through something families could use together.

Communication was also an improvement priority that May. Exchanges with parents were not consistent enough to address gaps in learning, and language support during independent play needed development alongside the support already given in small groups. Further work with other agencies was recommended. These points matter for families whose children need extra help communicating or sustaining attention.

The address is The Kiln, St. Georges Road, Badshot Lea, Farnham, GU9 9LX. Leapfrog opens during term time, with school holidays closed; opening hours are 9am to 3pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to noon on Friday.

In May 2022, attendance included morning and afternoon sessions, with a lunch club option. At that time, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Those arrangements belong to that period; the term-time calendar remains an important practical consideration for families planning holiday care.

• Term-time calendar. School holidays are closed, and Friday finishes at noon. Families needing care across the working week should weigh both constraints.
• Concentration and communication. The May 2022 improvement priorities covered persistence in activities, language development and partnership with parents. On a visit, ask how staff now approach these linked areas.
• Lunch arrangements. A lunch club formed part of the May 2022 attendance model. Ask what a child attending across lunchtime now needs to bring.

Leapfrog suits families seeking term-time care whose schedules accommodate a Friday lunchtime finish. Morning and afternoon sessions formed part of its May 2022 attendance model. Its May 2022 activities offer a concrete picture of learning through growing, counting, stories and physical play. The Good judgement provides a dated quality assessment; the communication and concentration priorities deserve equal weight in a family’s decision.