Mosterton Preschool
Mosterton Preschool is a pre-school in Beaminster for children aged 2 to 3, with 28 registered places. Ofsted report card, 15 September 2026: Strong standard in 5 areas, Expected standard in 1 area; safeguarding standards met.
Fairoak Way, Mosterton, Beaminster, DT8 3JQ
Key facts
- Type
- Pre-school (Sessional day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Ages
- 2 to 3 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered places
- 28 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered
- 29 November 2017 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Opening hours
Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30
Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 15 September 2026
Who runs it
Mosterton Preschool is run by Mosterton Pre-School Committee (Ofsted register).
Latest inspection
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
- Achievement: Strong standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Safeguarding standards met
Source: Ofsted, inspection on 15 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive in this welcoming and inclusive pre-school. They separate well from their parents and carers as they arrive and happily greet staff at the door. Children benefit from a broad and ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced and delivered through motivating experiences. Children are eager to learn and confidently engage in meaningful play. They develop secure relationships with staff, who know them well and respond sensitively to their individual needs and interests. Children show that they feel safe, settled and valued. They go to staff for cuddles, ask for help and share their achievements. For instance, children proudly say, 'Look at me. Look how fast I can go on my scooter.'
All children, including those with barriers to their learning, benefit from high-quality interactions throughout the day. Staff listen carefully to what children say and use their comments and questions to extend learning. For example, when children become interested in snails, staff provide books, drawing materials and opportunities to explore further. Children return to look at the snails and confidently talk about what they have learned and where they have seen snails before. Children show curiosity, perseverance and are keen to try new things. They excitedly ask, 'Can I have a go?', when they see their friends painting.
Children understand the routines and expectations at the pre-school and behave well. Songs help children move calmly between activities. Children cooperate with one another and develop independence in everyday tasks. For example, they find their lunch boxes, open their own packets and boxes and talk with staff about what they are eating. Staff work positively with parents and carers to support regular attendance, helping children gain the most from their sessions.
What Ofsted found in each area
Inclusion: Strong standard
Children are fully included in the life of the pre-school. Staff know children well and work closely with parents and carers and other professionals to identify individual needs and reduce barriers to learning and development. Assessment is used effectively to identify emerging gaps in learning, and staff provide targeted support to help children make sustained progress.
Staff skilfully adapt their teaching, interactions and routines to meet individual needs. For example, they provide additional key-person support for children who need help to develop trusting relationships and manage their emotions. Staff use their well-targeted training, in areas such as behaviour, listening and attention, and communication and language, to remove barriers and help children access learning alongside their peers. They review adaptations with parents to check their impact on learning and wellbeing, which remains effective.
Leaders and staff understand how children's circumstances and previous experiences can affect learning and wellbeing. They provide highly effective support for children who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or children who are known, or have previously been known, to children's social care. Additional funding is used thoughtfully to provide enriching resources and experiences that support children's emotional and social development, including turn-taking games and emotion toys and books.
Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
Staff skilfully deliver a broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of what children need to learn and provide experiences that build progressively on their knowledge and skills. Staff use children's interests to make learning meaningful while ensuring that children experience the full breadth of the curriculum. Regular assessment helps staff tailor teaching and identify when children need additional or different experiences to learn, practise and embed new skills and knowledge.
Teaching is thoughtful and responsive. For example, when staff notice younger children showing an interest in scissors and glittery play dough, they combine these interests and teach children how to hold and cut safely. Staff model cutting actions and introduce language, such as 'together' and 'apart', to develop children's control and coordination. Younger children copy these actions and show pride when they learn to cut.
The curriculum for communication and language is highly effective. Staff model language, introduce new vocabulary, sensitively support pronunciation and give children time to think and respond. Mathematics is fully embedded in everyday experiences. Staff use vocabulary, such as 'long' and 'short', as children paint lines and shapes. They talk about circles and stripes as children use chalk to colour butterflies, outside. Staff skilfully teach children to open packets, chop their own fruit and use cups, plates and teapots safely.
Achievement: Strong standard
All children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face other barriers, make sustained progress from their starting points. Children secure a wide range of knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of learning.
Young children concentrate for extended periods and confidently explore activities. They develop increasing control when using tools and demonstrate a growing understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, when they notice 2 of the same pictures in a book, they instantly say, 'Look, there are 2 of them,' without needing to count.
Older children listen carefully and communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings confidently. They increasingly understand the feelings and needs of others. For example, children help younger friends to open packets and show consideration for them. Children set themselves physical challenges, such as using scooters on ramps and working out how to stop safely. They are well prepared for school and future learning.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
Children behave consistently well and understand the expectations of the pre-school. Staff are positive role models. They engage in respectful interactions and use positive language to help children develop cooperation and consideration for others. Children are encouraged to persevere and are proud of what they achieve. For example, staff give children time to manoeuvre bicycles and tricycles in small spaces, independently. They ask whether children would like help or if they want to keep trying for themselves.
Routines are fully embedded and help children feel secure. Staff use songs to support transitions, and children confidently know what to do at different points in the day. Staff respond promptly to minor disagreements and adapt their language and approach to help children understand how to share and take turns. For example, staff use a sand timer to help older children manage turn-taking and encourage them to cooperate, while giving younger children simple phrases to use to help them learn to share.
Children are highly motivated to learn and engage readily in activities. Staff recognise individual differences and adapt their approach to support participation. They work with parents and carers to support children's attendance and punctuality. This helps children develop positive habits for school and the confidence to participate fully in pre-school life.
Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted consistently. Staff provide warm and nurturing care and build secure relationships with children. They know children's individual care needs and work closely with parents and carers to support routines, such as sleep, feeding and toileting. When children find toilet training difficult, staff work closely with parents and use praise, books and other resources to support consistency while protecting children's emotional wellbeing.
Staff provide safe and well-organised mealtimes. Children wash their hands before eating and are reminded to sit safely, take small bites and chew their food. Staff prepare food safely, know children's allergies and convey relevant information, so parents understand what food can be brought into the setting to keep all children safe.
Children develop healthy eating habits and increasing independence. Staff sensitively encourage children to manage aspects of their own care, such as wiping their faces, packing away lunch boxes and opening packets. Leaders keep safety and welfare arrangements under review and act swiftly when they identify changes that are needed. For example, they have added privacy blinds and a screen to protect children's dignity when they need changing.
Leadership and governance: Expected standard
There have been recent changes to the leadership of the pre-school. New leaders have quickly developed an understanding of the children, families and local community and are committed to providing positive experiences for children. Leaders have begun to establish links with local groups, schools and other providers to support consistency during transitions and to provide wider experiences for children.
Leaders keep statutory requirements under review and make changes in response to updated guidance. For example, leaders have conveyed safe-sleeping procedures and screen-use requirements with staff, reviewed policies and provided guidance for staff to access. Staff benefit from regular supervision arrangements and training and say that leaders are attentive to their workload and wellbeing. Parents and carers value communication with the setting, including detailed handovers, newsletters and opportunities to discuss children's progress.
Due to the recent changes in the leadership structure, leaders and those responsible for governance are in the early stages of working together to strengthen the overall oversight of the setting even further. They have plans underway to enhance how they accurately evaluate the provision to prioritise improvements with even more focus.
What the setting must and should do next
The provider should:
- Those responsible for governance should ensure leaders receive ongoing support and training to develop the already secure overview of the setting to sustain and continue to improve the high quality of provision for all children.
Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 15 September 2026. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Inspection history
- 21 July 2022: Full inspection, Good (report)
Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)
Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.
The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.
Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.
Source: Ofsted reports
Funded childcare hours in England
All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.
Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.
Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.
The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.
Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)
Schools nearby
- Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School - Primary, under 0.1 miles