Shobdon Arches Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Leominster for children from birth to 5, open 08:00 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 2009, with 20 places.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
HR6 9LXWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 17 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at pre-school. They arrive happy to see staff and their friends and settle quickly, which shows that they feel safe and secure.
Children behave well. They learn how to regulate their behaviour, and develop good social skills. They share and take turns because of the support that staff give them.
Children concentrate as they play and develop their imaginations and creativity well. For instance, children enjoy dressing up and being imaginative as they play doctors and help their friends to feel better with some medicine or 'magic cream'.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- extend information sharing with parents around encouraging children's healthy eating n support staff to make the most of teachable moments to help children to think and respond to questions, share their thoughts and ideas, and develop their critical thinking skills.
- 17 March 2022Good
- 29 June 2016Good
- 16 December 2015Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Shobdon Arches Pre-School
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.