Eaves Green Pre-School Childcare Centre

Mint-scented dough, autumn leaves and children persevering with coat fastenings give Eaves Green Pre-School Childcare Centre its character in October 2023: sensory exploration alongside everyday independence. At its 4 October 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective.

Based at Eaves Green Community Centre in Chorley, the setting has 40 places in total. Children attending in October 2023 were aged two to four; that age range describes the children at that visit.

In October 2023, children explored leaf textures and connected them with earlier conversations about autumn. Scented dough prompted comparisons with toothpaste. These were concrete opportunities to connect sensations, memories and language.

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, its inspection-era expression included play, conversation, physical activity and practising everyday skills. In October 2023, staff introduced vocabulary during play, while songs and favourite stories gave children further reasons to talk.

Outdoors that month, children used apparatus for climbing and balancing as well as running. Staff connected exercise with changes children noticed in their bodies, and linked food choices and handwashing with healthy habits. Independence also received attention: children were encouraged to keep trying when fastening coats proved difficult.

The teaching limitation in October 2023 was questioning. Some staff missed opportunities to draw out children's existing ideas, making the next learning step less precise. More consistent exploration of children's thinking was the improvement requested.

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator worked with families and key persons to provide effective targeted support. This puts a concrete mechanism behind the inclusion judgement: support was organised around individual children.

In October 2023, information gathered from parents helped staff understand children and support settling. Families received updates about learning alongside advice and ideas for home. Staff also helped children understand how their actions affected others, with sharing and turn-taking forming part of play.

Safety routines that month included garden boundaries marked by cones and counting children as they moved between indoors and outdoors. Staff refreshed safeguarding knowledge through training and carried out risk checks. Managers observed practice, held supervision sessions and identified training for individual staff members, creating opportunities to review how adults worked with children.

The address is Eaves Green Community Centre, Lower Burgh Way, Eaves Green, Chorley, PR7 3QG.

In October 2023, opening hours were 8.30am to 1pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, and 8.30am to 3pm on Wednesdays, during term time only. At that time, the setting received early-education funding for children aged two, three and four. These are dated operating arrangements.

• Teaching conversations. In October 2023, questioning did not consistently reveal what children already understood. Ask how staff now use children's answers to shape their next learning steps.
• Attendance fit. The October 2023 timetable combined shorter Monday and Tuesday opening windows with a longer Wednesday. What attendance arrangements would suit your child now?

For families drawn to practical independence, sensory play and plenty of conversation, the October 2023 picture has clear appeal. Parent communication and individual support add substance to that picture. The balance is the teaching improvement: adults needed to draw out children's thinking more consistently. This is a preschool whose strongest evidenced character lies in ordinary experiences made purposeful.