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Whimple Preschool Playgroup

Ofsted: Good
(Jun 2025)
·Victory Hall, School Hill, Exeter, EX5 2TS · Devon
Number of places
24 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2025
Local authority
Devon

About this day nursery

Whimple Preschool Playgroup provides a happy, secure, and stimulating environment where children can develop, explore, learn, and have fun. The preschool encourages building friendships, collaborative exploration, and problem-solving through various engaging activities.

They often take children to a nearby play park for physical development and observation of seasonal changes, fostering their understanding of the world. The curriculum includes creative arts like making firework pictures, and practical science through raising tadpoles into froglets and caterpillars into butterflies, promoting an appreciation for nature.

Special visitors, such as a police officer, introduce children to different occupations and community roles. The preschool also celebrates milestones with events like nativity plays and end-of-year parties.

They offer Forest School mornings, allowing children to engage with the natural environment by making nature crafts and searching for minibeasts. The setting is committed to providing a supportive atmosphere for children to thrive.

Our ethos

The preschool's philosophy centres on providing a happy, secure, and stimulating environment that encourages children's development, exploration, and learning through friendships, collaborative exploration, and problem-solving. They integrate practical science, creative arts, and community awareness, with a strong emphasis on nature appreciation through Forest School mornings and activities like raising tadpoles and caterpillars. The setting is committed to a supportive atmosphere where children can thrive.

What it's like

The pre-school provides a warm and nurturing environment. Staff know children and their families well, ensuring children's emotional development needs are met. Children demonstrate independence through daily routines and planned meaningful opportunities.

Play-based learningNature explorationCommunity engagementForest School activities

Pricing & funding

Charges are based on hourly rates for unfunded hours, split into age bands for two-to-three-year-olds and three-to-four-year-olds. An hourly flexi rate is available for ad-hoc sessions if space allows. Sessions consist of mornings or afternoons, with invoices issued termly and payable within four weeks.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-oldsTax-Free Childcare
  • Unfunded rate for 2-3 year olds (from Sept 2025)£7.00 / hour
  • Unfunded rate for 3-4 year olds (from Sept 2025)£6.50 / hour
  • Flexi rate for adhoc sessions (if space allows)£7.50 / hour

Good to know

  • Invoiced termly within the first few weeks of term, with payment due within four weeks.
  • BACS, cheques, Tax-Free Childcare, and childcare vouchers accepted; instalment options are available.
  • The under-3 rate applies until the term following the child's third birthday.
  • At least four weeks' notice (excluding school holidays) is required to reduce funded hours.
  • Sessions consist of mornings or afternoons, with a full day counted as two sessions.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 9am - 3:30pm (Lunch 12pm - 1pm); Closed during school holidays and on Thursdays.

Term time / All Year

Term Time

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Whimple Preschool Playgroup

Last inspected 24 June 2025 · Naomi Beck

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

The pre-school provides a warm and nurturing environment. Staff know children and their families well, ensuring children's emotional development needs are met. Children demonstrate independence through daily routines and planned meaningful opportunities.

Inspector highlights

  • Leaders and staff are passionate about providing the best care for the children, ensuring their emotional well-being is a high priority.
  • Parents speak highly about the communication provided by the pre-school, including regular updates via the online learning journal and frequent engagement with staff.
  • Key persons know their children well and share this information with the rest of the staff, ensuring all staff are aware of every child's needs and support good progress.
  • Staff engage children in all activities, both inside and outside, using the available space well.
  • Children show high interest in activities, displaying purposeful and meaningful play, and are independent in their learning.

Areas to develop

  • 1enhance staff communication during transitions so that expectations are clear and the environment remains calm and supportive
  • 2create opportunities for children to access a quieter space when they need time away from the busy environment.
Inspection #10399425 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff and leaders have good knowledge of referral routes for early identification of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school communicates with parents about concerns and signposts for additional support when needed, working well with outside agencies like speech and language therapists to provide targeted support, resulting in good progress for children with SEND.

Outdoor space

All children enjoy spending time outside each day. Staff provide resources that reflect children's interests and skilfully extend their learning, for example using measuring tapes to measure how far cars travel down a ramp. Staff engage the children in all activities on offer in both the inside and outside environments, such as playing target games where children throw or kick balls at a number target to win points. Children have a love of stories and can be seen enjoying books, both inside and in the outside environment.

Inspection history

Date: February 2010

  • July 2025Good
  • June 2025Good
  • December 2019Good
  • December 2019Good
  • July 2019Inadequate
  • June 2019Inadequate
  • October 2018Requires improvement
  • January 2016Good
  • December 2015Good
  • March 2010Good
  • February 2010Good

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