Walton Forest Preschool

Walton Forest Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): 2815883 Address: The Community Centre, Breech Lane, Walton-On-The-Hill, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 7SN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/10/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Unique Beginnings Childcare LTD

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff know the children and families they support very well. From the outset, they work closely in partnership with parents to quickly identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps them to swiftly identify any barriers that may impact children's learning and development. Staff create targeted and personalised support plans that support children's individual needs. Leaders identify training to strengthen staff knowledge. For instance, staff have developed their knowledge on how to support children's communication and language through targeted, daily planned interventions. This consistent approach helps children develop the skills and knowledge they need for their future learning.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders regularly review children's progress through their highly effective assessment procedures. This enables them to seek support from other professionals and specialists. They use this information to tailor strategies in their daily practice to support children with SEND. Furthermore, they share this with parents so that children can continue their learning at home. This two-way approach helps children consistently make progress.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that statutory funding is accessed where appropriate, allowing children to receive the necessary support and helping them prepare successfully for their transition to school.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Typically, children make continuous progress across all areas of the curriculum. They are prepared for their next stage in learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure as they quickly engage in the curious and well-organised environment.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop a real love of stories as they talk about their favourite characters. They demonstrate an awareness of emotions as they talk about how the characters feel in the familiar stories. Children are confident in counting and recognise shapes in the environment. Children speak with confidence about how to keep themselves safe when attending forest school. They typically understand the expectations of their behaviour. Children play together as they scoop sand, finding 'treasure'. Children develop their independence. They confidently use tongs to serve their snack and pour their drinks. Children have ample opportunities to develop physical abilities. They scoop water and mark-make using crayons, creating pictures.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff are typically positive role models for children. They have developed caring and trusting relationships with the children they care for. Staff are quick to support children's emotional wellbeing, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they are calm in their manner and reassure children if they become a little unsettled. This helps children feel safe and secure.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Generally, children have a positive attitude towards learning. Staff ensure that adaptations are implemented during small-group times so that children can participate in planned learning. Staff typically have high expectations of children's behaviour. However, they do not consistently teach children why they are asked to walk indoors or wear their sun hats. This means children do not always gain the knowledge needed to understand what is expected of them. That said, children play well together. Staff teach children how to take turns through their interactions during play. This helps children develop early friendships.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders ensure routines are consistent. Children tidy away their resources before group time and place their plates in the washing-up area after mealtimes. Leaders monitor attendance and promote regular attendance for all children. This helps children benefit from the routines and learning opportunities provided by the pre-school.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place children's welfare at the centre of everything they do. They build warm and trusting relationships with children. Staff create a purposeful and calm environment where children demonstrate that they feel valued and secure. Children seek support when needed, showing the positive and supportive relationships they have with staff. This helps children develop their emotional wellbeing and self-esteem.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff teach children very effectively about how to be healthy. Children enjoy plenty of opportunities to be physically active. For example, they enjoy visits to the forest school area and excitedly take part in action songs and stories. Staff teach children the importance of washing their hands before mealtimes. Children know these routines well and need little reminding from staff. All children enjoy their mealtimes and are becoming increasingly independent. Menus are healthy and inclusive of the diverse cultures represented by families who attend the pre-school. Older children serve themselves at mealtimes and use cutlery appropriately. Younger children are generally supported by staff who attend to their care routines. Staff talk to children about making healthy choices when selecting snacks. They remind children to take regular water breaks during hotter weather. This helps children develop healthy habits for the future.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide children with an inclusive, ambitious curriculum that places a high priority on children's communication and language skills. Staff use stories and songs to introduce children to new vocabulary. Staff adapt their teaching to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For instance, they plan regular small intervention sessions to help children develop their confidence in speaking. Staff are sensitive and repeat words back to children, which helps them hear the sounds and develop their pronunciation. They regularly count with children as they explore the well-organised environment. This supports children's early mathematics.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff focus on children's physical development. They provide children with a wealth of resources and opportunities. For example, children regularly walk to the forest school site, where they skilfully move large tyres and develop their balance as they climb apparatus. Staff set children daily mathematical challenges.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff know the children well and typically focus on their next steps in learning. However, interactions for younger children are sometimes less consistent, as staff tend to focus on older children's learning. Typically, staff narrate as children play, skilfully asking questions to develop children's thinking. Leaders recognise these minor inconsistencies and have plans to develop staff interactions, although these are in their infancy due to recent challenges in recruitment. That said, all children make progress from their starting points and are well supported in their play, including children with SEND.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all children. Partnership working is a key strength of this pre-school. For example, where children may face barriers to learning, leaders collaborate with external professionals. This ensures that a collaborative approach has a positive impact on children's learning and development. Leaders are confident in accessing any additional funding that children may be entitled to. This helps children who need more support have one-to-one support and ensures any statutory support is applied for in readiness for when children start school.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a very secure understanding of the needs of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face disadvantages. Effective partnership working with external professionals ensures children receive timely referrals, targeted support and appropriate funding. Staff report that leaders support their wellbeing and consider their workload carefully.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders place a firm emphasis on staff wellbeing. Staff report that they feel well supported in their role and appreciate the training and opportunities to further their qualifications in early years. Leaders regularly review staff's workload through regular supervisions and staff meetings. Leaders identify areas to develop, which includes raising the quality of teaching and children's learning so that it is consistent for all children. This is in its infancy and not yet fully effective. As a result, some staff do not receive precise guidance to develop their teaching to maintain consistently high-quality interactions.

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children thrive in this nurturing pre-school. They arrive eager to start their day and hang their belongings on their pegs, leaving their parents and carers with ease. Staff know the children very well and plan the environment to foster their interests and next steps in learning. They identify children who may face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As such, children are supported by skilled staff who make adaptations within the curriculum to help them develop their communication and language skills. Children have real ownership of the planned intervention sessions, as staff encourage them to choose a friend to take part. This helps to promote children's self- confidence and early friendships.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children play together, with staff close by to support them as they learn to share resources. This promotes positive behaviour. Staff teach early mathematics in ways that develop children's curiosity and exploration. For instance, children have fun as they scoop sand in search of treasure. They explore the environment as they search for shapes. Children learn new concepts as they compare the differences between a square and a rectangle. They learn about the different lengths of the sides of various shapes. Children count in their play, and younger children sing songs as they count down from 5 while a pretend rocket takes off. This helps children understand the concepts of number and shape.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children speak with enthusiasm as they recall the rules of forest school trips. For instance, they explain that the red dragon represents the fire, which is hot, and that they must not cross into that area. Furthermore, they recall that they only use tools with staff supervision. This helps children learn how to keep themselves safe. Children have plenty of fresh air and exercise. They run, climb and develop their muscles as they move large tyres in the outdoor environment. They also develop the muscles in their hands as they squeeze and roll dough to create different shapes. This helps children develop the physical skills needed for later learning.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children benefit from regular attendance at the pre-school and know the routines well. Leaders monitor children's attendance and promote punctuality. This helps to keep children safe.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should support staff to consistently teach children the expectations of their behaviour effectively so children can understand what is expected of them and why. Leaders should strengthen arrangements for monitoring staff practice and provide targeted coaching and professional development to ensure consistent, high-quality teaching that precisely matches children's individual stages of development.

p.5

Address:

The Community Centre Breech Lane Walton-On-The-Hill Tadworth Surrey KT20 7SN

p.6

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Address:

Registered person: Unique Beginnings Childcare LTD

p.6

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 15:00

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children, parents and carers during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. This data is from 9 July 2026

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8