Beehive Pre-School Playgroup

Language work, a daily lending library and a strong connection with service families give Beehive its character. Based at the Low Moor Centre in Fulford, York, this playgroup combines a large playroom with a quiet room and an enclosed garden. It has capacity for 24 children in total. The emphasis is on play, conversation and growing independence, rather than a day organised around formal lessons.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated Beehive Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities made good progress through targeted support. Children attending then were aged two to four. A subsequent November 2024 compliance action concerned supervision, management support and safeguarding procedures.

Morning and afternoon sessions sit within a term-time model, with additional early, lunch and late bookings. Military families receive admissions priority, reflecting the community Beehive serves.

Rooms and Ages

The large playroom is accompanied by the honeypot room and a smaller quiet room, giving the premises space for both active play and quieter moments. A fully equipped kitchen, child-sized toilet facilities and accessible toilets are also part of the setting.

A secure garden has a covered area. Children are asked to keep named wellington boots and outdoor clothing at Beehive, making outdoor play part of the ordinary day. The equipment includes a climbing frame, slide and bikes, alongside balls and hoops. These offer different ways to practise balance, movement and coordination; pencils, scissors and paint brushes provide smaller-scale work for hands and fingers indoors.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the framework for learning through play, covering language, physical development, relationships, early literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and creative expression. It is the shared foundation for early-years provision. Beehive's curriculum connects those areas to practical activities rather than treating them as separate lessons.

WellComm/ECAT (Every Child A Talker) adds a named emphasis on language development, with trained practitioners supporting children's experimentation with speech and communication. A book area is available during each session, while the daily lending library lets children take books home.

Early literacy includes a sound of the week, rhyming games and opportunities to make marks using different materials. Name cards and labelled coat pegs connect print with something children recognise as their own. Mathematics comes through baking, sorting, board games and sand or water play, so numbers, shapes and patterns have a practical purpose.

In June 2022, children counted train carriages and used words describing their position; older children revisited letter sounds during the week. There was a limitation too: children with greater knowledge and experience did not consistently receive enough challenge. Children who master activities quickly need their learning extended.

Outdoor and Community Life

Creative play uses materials including clay, chalk, dough and paint, with music and imaginative play alongside them. The home corner, dolls, play food and train sets give children starting points for shared stories and negotiations. Daily snack helpers introduce small responsibilities into the routine rather than reserving independence for a special activity.

Exploring the world includes growing seeds and bulbs, experimenting with materials and using remote-control toys. Topics can develop from children's interests.

The Army Welfare Service supports Beehive and owns its premises. The playgroup is a charity governed by trustees, primarily parents, and families can contribute skills or help with fundraising.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person responsible for individual needs and developmental records. Photographs, examples of work and written observations go into a special book, giving parents something concrete to discuss. Key-person conversations take place at least once each term, and The Buzz is a monthly newsletter covering topics, dates and news.

Settling is flexible: parents can remain for as long as they feel their child needs, with staff and family working together on the approach. Spare clothes stay on the child's peg, and manageable clothing is encouraged so children can practise doing things themselves.

In June 2022, familiar routines helped children settle, and children needing comfort sought it from staff. Parents received termly progress information, but wanted more frequent accounts of activities and experiences, especially when working away.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENCo role supports work around additional needs, and administrative support includes SEND meetings and referrals. The setting also has accessible facilities and toilets.

In June 2022, pictures helped children learning English communicate practical needs, including using the toilet and asking for a snack. Children also practised everyday independence by managing coats and shoes and preparing fruit.

Staff hold paediatric first-aid certificates, and practitioners have a dedicated professional-development session each week. Designated safeguarding lead and deputy roles are in place, with annual safeguarding training and safeguarding discussions in staff supervision and committee meetings.

Following an October 2024 regulatory visit, Ofsted required stronger staff supervision, ongoing coaching and support for managers, and clearer understanding of how to escalate safeguarding concerns; its November 2024 outcome recorded a response received on 6 November indicating positive steps and a plan to continue meeting requirements. This outcome does not establish that every action was completed, and the earlier Good judgement should be read alongside it.

Sessions and Attendance

Beehive operates during term time. Morning session bookings run from 9am to noon, and afternoon sessions from 1pm to 4pm; the Honeypot lunch club sits between them, from noon to 1pm. The main session window is 9am to 4pm, and flexible bookings are also offered.

An Early Session runs from 8am to 9am each day. A Late Session operates from 4pm to 5pm, Monday to Thursday. Opening hours are therefore 8am to 5pm on those days and 8am to 4pm on Friday. The distinction matters when planning Friday care: the late extension does not operate then.

Applications and waiting-list requests use a downloadable form submitted by email. Military families have priority, and the waiting list is ordered by children's birth dates rather than the length of time their names have been on it. Leaving requires a month's written notice, with fees brought up to date.

Getting There

The address is Low Moor Centre, Bray Road, Fulford, York, YO10 4JG, and a car park sits beside the building. Contact is by telephone on 01904 849100 or email at beehive123@hotmail.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Beehive offers 15 hours of funded early education from the term after a child's third birthday, delivered across 38 academic-year weeks, and extended funding of up to 30 hours for eligible working parents. Paid bookings are also offered, with separate rates for service and private families; current prices should form part of the nursery's written quotation.

Fruit and baking items carry a separate charge at the start of each term. Monthly invoices arrive electronically, with payment due by the deadline specified on the invoice, and late-payment and late-collection charges apply; the fees and opening hours page explains the structure.

• Supervision and safeguarding procedures. The November 2024 compliance outcome recorded positive steps and a continuing plan following actions on staff supervision, management support and escalation of concerns. Ask how those arrangements now work in practice and what follow-up has taken place.
• Challenge and updates. In June 2022, more experienced children needed greater challenge, and parents wanted more regular activity updates. During a visit, ask for examples of how learning is extended and how a parent working away stays informed.
• Military priority. Admissions favour military families, and waiting-list order follows birth dates. Discuss how these rules apply to your application and intended sessions.
• Term-time rhythm. Morning, afternoon and extended bookings provide different attendance options, but Friday ends at 4pm. Consider how the term-time calendar and shorter Friday fit your household's care arrangements.

Beehive suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those combining the main day with early or late care during term time. Its service-family connection, language emphasis, lending library and parent involvement give it a clear identity. The quiet room and covered garden add useful variety to the physical setting.

The June 2022 learning and communication improvement points and November 2024 compliance action deserve serious attention. A decision should rest on the attendance pattern that fits your family and clear explanations of current challenge, communication and safeguarding procedures.