Ladybirds Pre School

Flower drawings, a climbing wall and a raised balance beam give Ladybirds Pre School a recognisable mix of language, making and physical challenge. Those examples come from April 2024, when children explored plant vocabulary alongside outdoor play. The current day still combines creative work, stories and time outside, with quiet corners for reading and rest.

At its 17 April 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities helped them participate and make progress. Children attending then were aged two to four; the setting has 30 places in total. Two improvements mattered: extending learning during unplanned play and making routines more responsive to individual children.

Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions run during term time. This gives families a choice between a shorter stretch of nursery time and a day spanning both sessions.

Play provides the starting point. The EYFS, or Early Years Foundation Stage, covers children's learning, development and care; learning through play includes conversation, stories, making and movement. Ladybirds follows children's interests within that framework.

The daily timetable puts storytelling and group conversation at 10.30am, followed by snack and outdoor exploration at 11.15am. Lunch and rest come at noon, with creative learning at 1pm. Art, construction and making draw on children's ideas, while the indoor environment includes quiet places to read, talk or take a break. These different spaces give active play and quieter activity a place in the same day.

In April 2024, staff used flowers to introduce words about plant parts and encouraged children to draw what they saw. That connected new vocabulary with something tangible. Songs also explored contrasting ideas such as size and speed, giving children another way to practise language through play.

Outdoor activity had substance at that visit. Children tried the climbing wall and raised balance beam, with adults encouraging persistence and considered risk-taking. Wheeled toys provided another physical challenge, including responding to stopping and starting. These were opportunities to practise coordination as well as confidence.

The limitations were equally practical. In April 2024, adults sometimes joined children's play without taking the next step to develop their thinking. Some routines also interrupted activities before children had finished exploring them. Story groups could be too large for everyone to benefit. For parents, the useful distinction is between having appealing activities and giving each child enough time and adult attention to get the most from them.

Individual support has a clear structure. A SENCO coordinates work between practitioners, families and other professionals, using an assess, plan, do and review cycle. Staff identify a child's starting point, agree outcomes, put adjustments into everyday practice and review what helps. Changes can involve communication, activities, the environment or routines, so support is attached to the child's actual day.

In April 2024, individual targets were supported through planned activities and one-to-one help, with parents involved in decisions. Makaton and picture cards were used as communication support for children with identified SEND. Additional funding had also paid for sensory toys to help children manage anxiety and concentrate. These are concrete examples of adapting provision rather than expecting every child to engage in the same way.

Relationships with families also had practical substance in April 2024. Key people spoke with parents daily, written developmental updates were shared regularly, and stay-and-play sessions let parents take part in activities with their children. Families received suggestions for continuing learning at home, including sharing books. The current SEND arrangements likewise involve exchanging strategies between home and nursery.

Transitions are planned with families when children move to another setting or school, with information shared to help the next team understand their needs. Lunch is followed by a period for rest, giving the day a quieter interval before afternoon activities.

In its outcome dated 6 June 2025, Ofsted recorded a failure to notify the appropriate agencies within the required timeframe, issued an action for safeguarding-lead training and accepted a suitable response stating that role-specific training was being completed. That is the latest published position on this event; it should not be read as confirmation that the course had finished.

Sessions and Attendance

The term-time booking choices are a morning from 9am to noon, an afternoon from noon to 3pm, or a full day from 9am to 3pm. The afternoon includes lunch and creative activities. A morning suits families seeking a shorter period of play and learning; the full day carries children through lunch, rest and the afternoon programme.

Visits can be requested through the enquiry form, which also takes questions about joining and funding. Families can contact the team on 01234 343080 or email enquiries@elstowladybirds.co.uk.

Getting There

Ladybirds is inside Elstow Christian Fellowship, 169 High St, Bedford MK42 9XP. The building may have no Ladybirds sign outside, so the host building's name is a useful reference when planning a visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered during term time: eligible two-year-olds may receive up to 15 hours each week, all three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 funded hours from the relevant term, and eligible working families may access an additional 15 hours through 30-hour funding. Eligibility depends on age and circumstances; these entitlements do not guarantee a particular booking pattern.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees and funding page sets out the session choices and funding categories, making the attendance pattern a sensible starting point for comparing costs.

• Time to finish learning. April 2024 improvement points concerned missed opportunities in spontaneous play and routines that interrupted children's activities. During a visit, ask how staff now balance the timetable with a child who is absorbed in an activity.
• Safeguarding follow-up. The 6 June 2025 outcome accepted a suitable response and described safeguarding-lead training as being completed. Families should establish the subsequent training position and how agency notifications are handled.
• The full attendance cost. Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings have different practical implications. What does the written quotation include for meals and non-food consumables alongside funded or privately paid hours?

Ladybirds suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those wanting the full-day pattern. Its strongest practical features are the combination of outdoor movement and creative play, together with a structured process for planning individual support with families.

The April 2024 Good judgement gives a positive inspection baseline, but the detail matters more than the label. Making routines responsive and extending children's own play were the key educational improvements. The June 2025 safeguarding follow-up deserves a direct conversation too. Families who value shorter sessions and close involvement in support planning have clear reasons to consider Ladybirds, with those questions central to a visit.