The Lighthouse Preschool & After School Club

Traditional tales, rope ladders and a lending library shaped The Lighthouse Preschool & After School Club's provision at its February 2025 inspection. Based at Junction 6 on the grounds of Everest Community Academy in Basingstoke, it has capacity for 52 children. At its February 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective.

Children attending in February 2025 were aged two to four. The account of their day combined story-led play with practical opportunities to attempt tasks independently, from building with blocks to handling equipment outdoors. The main improvement required concerned helping parents understand children's next learning steps.

In February 2025, traditional stories connected language, craft and problem-solving. Goldilocks and the Three Bears prompted children to rebuild the smallest bear's bed with construction materials, giving a familiar tale a practical purpose. Adults introduced story vocabulary during play, while activities with pegs brought colour and counting into work with small objects.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the February 2025 examples show those elements meeting through play: children handled materials, used language and tackled problems rather than keeping each area separate.

Outdoor provision also had a clear physical emphasis in February 2025. Rope ladders and tools for digging gave children opportunities for larger movements; drawing treasure maps with pencils exercised smaller hand movements. Children could choose resources and seek help, with adults encouraging an initial attempt before taking over.

At the February 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children formed trusting relationships with staff, made good progress in communication and language, including those learning English as an additional language, and received effective SEND support through work with speech and language therapists, small-group language activities and walkers for physical development.

In February 2025, adults demonstrated sharing and taking turns, and children copied those behaviours with their peers. Families could borrow books from a lending library, attend events at the preschool and receive help through a food bank delivered weekly. These offered practical points of contact alongside updates about children's days and achievements.

The weakness was more specific than a lack of contact: in February 2025, parents did not consistently understand the learning planned next for their own child or how to help at home.

The address is Junction 6, Everest Community Academy, Oxford Way, Basingstoke, RG24 9UP.

In February 2025, the preschool operated on weekdays during school terms, with a range of sessions running between 8am and 5.30pm. It received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. These are dated arrangements, rather than a statement of today's attendance offer.

• Learning at home. Communication about individual learning plans was the February 2025 improvement priority. Ask how staff now explain your child's next steps and turn them into manageable activities at home.
• Term-time arrangements. The February 2025 attendance model followed school terms. How would the current session choices fit your family's working week and holiday needs?

The Lighthouse's February 2025 account suits parents who value stories used actively, opportunities to build independence and substantial outdoor physical play. Its family support had practical substance, from borrowing books to food-bank deliveries. The decision point is communication: warm relationships and daily updates need to be matched by a clear understanding of what each child is learning next.