Allsorts Preschool Underwood

Growing food and caring for dolls gave learning a practical shape at Allsorts Preschool Underwood in September 2023. Children tended edible plants, explored family life through play and exercised the muscles they would later use for writing. Everyday experiences supplied the learning material.

At its 21 September 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good and judged safeguarding effective. Based at Underwood Community Centre in Nottingham, it has 24 places in total. Children attending that inspection were aged two to three; that is a dated age range.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, with play providing opportunities to develop skills. In September 2023, activities included working dough, using pipettes to move water and painting marks with water. These gave children practice in controlling their hands and arms before writing.

Growing parsley, strawberries and runner beans connected food with the natural world. Children cared for the plants and ate their produce, giving them something tangible to discuss. In the home corner, dolls prompted pretend feeding, changing and putting a baby to bed, drawing on some children's experience of younger siblings.

Stories and rhymes also featured in September 2023. However, support for early speech and pronunciation was inconsistent, making language development an important point for families to explore.

In September 2023, staff used comforting words, cuddles and familiar comforters to help new children settle. Care was adapted to individual needs rather than treating settling as one fixed routine. Potty practice was supported with encouragement, while explanations about handwashing helped children understand hygiene.

Communication with parents covered achievements at home and preschool, emerging needs and the next steps in learning. Developmental assessments informed planning, although arrangements for passing age-two checks to professionals such as health visitors needed attention. Staff development included observations and supervision.

Healthy snacks and drinks were provided in September 2023, alongside conversations about food choices. Simple explanations also supported behaviour: children were helped to understand why they should walk indoors and sit before using the slide.

The address is Underwood Community Centre, Church Lane, Nottingham NG16 5FS.

In September 2023, the preschool operated on weekdays during term time, with sessions running from 9am to midday. It also provided funded early education for children aged two and three at that time. This was a morning attendance arrangement rather than an all-day schedule.

• Language development. In September 2023, younger children's speech and pronunciation were not consistently supported. Ask how practitioners now extend vocabulary during play and conversation.
• Age-two checks. Sharing developmental checks with other professionals needed improvement in September 2023. Discuss how information reaches a child's health visitor.
• Morning attendance. September 2023 sessions ran from 9am to midday during term time. At a visit, establish whether today's attendance arrangements fit your family's week.

Allsorts suits families drawn to practical preschool learning: growing food, imaginative play and activities that prepare hands for writing featured in September 2023. Its morning, term-time pattern at that date would suit families seeking a short preschool session. The two improvement priorities, language support and sharing developmental checks, deserve attention alongside the Good judgement.