Chieveley Pre-School maintains ‘Good’ Ofsted a year on from facing closure

A village pre-school has maintained its pre-Covid ‘Good’ Ofsted rating after its most recent inspection at the beginning of February.

Chieveley Pre-school – which was saved from closure by a voluntary committee of concerned staff and parents last February – has been ranked as ‘Good’ in all categories following its latest inspection.

The inspector’s report noted children are provided with an “ambitious curriculum” and a “welcoming, calm learning environment.”

It also praised staff for their strong focus on developing children's confidence to talk and engage in conversation.

Committee chair Jill Hobbs, from East Ilsley, said: ”We are absolutely over the moon with the ‘Good’ result from Ofsted.

“The pre-school closed its doors just over a year ago with no committee and no staff to run it.

“A few parents and our manager, Sandra, came onboard to form a new team to see if we could save it.

“A year on from this, we are not only thriving but have attained a ‘Good’ result from an unannounced Ofsted inspection.

“This is a reflection of the hard work and dedication from all of the brilliant staff and committee at the pre-school, plus the many members of the previous team who continued to give guidance through what was a tricky few months.

“The sense of community is strong at the pre-school and in this case, it’s undoubtedly what has brought us ‘back from the brink’.

“The pre-school is now booming and most importantly the children have a happy, secure and fun place to come and learn.”

But its work isn’t over yet, added Mrs Hobbs.

She continued: “We are still looking for donations to help fund new IT equipment.

“And this month, the parents and staff are coming together to complete a total revamp of the outdoor play area in memory of Dylan Milsom, who was a pupil at the pre-school at the time of his tragic passing.

“This has only been made possible by the help of his mum and dad and the many donations made by his family, friends and the wider community.

“We want to ensure this will be a place where he will be remembered, not for his passing, but for his life.

“Dylan loved the pre-school. He was a boy full of life and colour and we hope to make sure every child gets to share in that as they learn, grow and play."

To improve further, the inspector recommended strengthening the arrangements to identify and address areas for improvement in staff practice.

It added that all staff should be supported to improve their teaching practice further to consistently challenge children in their learning and development.

The pre-school, registered in 2017, currently enrols 21 children, aged two- to four-years-old.