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Caterpillars Pre-School in Southampton

Ofsted: Good
(Jun 2024)
·
5.0(2 parent reviews) ·Calmore Infant School, Calmore Drive, Southampton, SO40 2ZZ · Hampshire
Number of places
48 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2024
Local authority
Hampshire

About this day nursery

Caterpillars Pre-School, operating since November 1999 from Calmore Infant School, offers high-quality, affordable, and inclusive early years education and childcare for children from two years old up to school age. The pre-school is dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive atmosphere, working closely with families to ensure each child's development.

Registered with OFSTED, it can accommodate up to 48 children per session and welcomes children of all abilities, providing additional support for those with extra needs. The curriculum spans seven areas of learning, utilising a key-person system to deliver individualised attention.

As a charity run by a volunteer parent committee, fundraising is crucial for acquiring new resources and equipment.

What it's like

Children are warmly welcomed by staff who build strong, trusting bonds to help them feel safe and secure. Staff have high expectations and create motivating play experiences, focusing on personal, social, and emotional development. All children, including those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points.

Charity-runParent Committee

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare
  • Hourly fee£6.00 / hour

Key facts

Opening hours

Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 3:15pm (Term time only).

Age range

2 years to school age

Term time / All Year

Term Time

Established

1999

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Caterpillars Pre-School

Last inspected 25 June 2024 · Tara Naylor

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are warmly welcomed by staff who build strong, trusting bonds to help them feel safe and secure. Staff have high expectations and create motivating play experiences, focusing on personal, social, and emotional development. All children, including those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points.

Inspector highlights

  • The manager is a strong leader who works closely with her staff team to provide children with a good start to their early education.
  • Staff benefit from regular coaching, supervision, and support, and receive training to develop their knowledge and skills.
  • Staff plan and provide a range of learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum to support children's good progress.
  • Children develop good independence skills and take pride in completing age-appropriate routines.
  • Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure children needing extra support receive it, particularly for speaking skills.

Areas to develop

  • 1support all staff to extend and challenge children's learning as they join them at activities
  • 2build on the already good partnerships with parents to share more detailed information about children's learning at pre-school and help them to continue and extend at home.
Inspection #10351033 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents speak very positively about the pre-school.

They say that children are well supported by the caring staff.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

All children, including those in receipt of additional funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with other agencies involved in children's care and ensure children receive the additional help they need to catch up, particularly for speaking skills. Additional funding has been used to seek support from private speech therapists to help staff follow individual learning programmes and improve children's communication skills. The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND.

Outdoor space

Older children count how many of their friends are in the line as they return from playing outdoors. The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

Parent Reviews of Caterpillars Pre-School

5.0
(2)

Reviews from Google for Caterpillars Pre-School. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: October 2009

  • June 2024Good
  • October 2018Good
  • April 2016Good
  • July 2013Requires improvement
  • October 2009Good

Frequently asked about Caterpillars Pre-School

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