Potter's House Preschool

A tree swing, imaginative building play and small responsibilities for saving water give Potter's House Preschool a recognisable character in its October 2022 account. Based at Yapton Scout Hut in Arundel, it has capacity for 26 children aged two to five.

At its 13 October 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the preschool Good, found safeguarding effective and identified good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of every aspect of care today.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play provides opportunities to build language, practise everyday skills and explore ideas.

In October 2022, interest in nearby housebuilding prompted staff to introduce hard hats, blocks and planks for children to construct pretend houses. This connected something children had noticed with imaginative play and opportunities to share materials. Mud, water and fir leaves also became ingredients for pretend popcorn, drawing family experiences into play.

The tree swing provided opportunities to take turns in October 2022. Children also acted as water and litter monitors, with responsibility for reminding others to turn off taps. Environmental care became something children could practise themselves.

In October 2022, children used photographs to mark their attendance and talked about their friendships. Everyday independence included putting on outdoor clothing, washing hands and cutting apples for snacks. These were practical opportunities to manage small tasks themselves.

At the October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that professional guidance supported work on speech and language delays, but identified weaknesses in new staff's curriculum understanding and in matching home-language words to children's needs and routines. For families, the relevant distinction is between helping a child learn English and also helping them express choices through familiar language.

Parents' accounts in October 2022 were positive about communication and advice for supporting learning at home. Visits from parents introduced their work, including a paramedic who discussed helping others while children learned about using a stethoscope, connecting children's families with learning about people who help others.

The address is Yapton Scout Hut, Drove Lane, Arundel, BN18 0EB. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the preschool closes for school holidays. This calendar makes holiday cover a separate consideration for working families.

In October 2022, the preschool received early-education funding for three- and four-year-olds. That historical funding position should not be treated as a promise about a family's current entitlement or booking arrangement.

• Term-time calendar. The preschool closes during school holidays. Families needing care throughout the year will need a separate holiday arrangement.
• Staff induction and language support. October 2022 findings identified gaps in new staff's curriculum knowledge and the practical use of children's home languages. At a visit, ask how induction and everyday language support now work.

Potter's House Preschool suits families seeking term-time preschool care for children aged two to five. Its October 2022 examples give the strongest sense of its character: imaginative construction, everyday independence and responsibilities children could understand. The dated Good judgement provides a useful assessment, while the specific teaching concerns deserve attention when choosing care today.