Forget-me-nots Pre-School

Sand investigations, screw patterns and a hall adapted for active play give Forget-me-nots Pre-School a recognisable character in its January 2023 account. Based at Tring Community Centre, it has capacity for 20 children. At its 25 January 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged it Good overall.

The children attending in January 2023 were aged two to four. The strongest practical thread was learning through familiar play: counting, making, experimenting and choosing resources independently.

In January 2023, the early years foundation stage provided the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday language, that meant play contributing to skills such as counting, communicating and learning to do things independently.

Children searched for hidden stones in sand, then brought cups into the activity to make sandcastles together. At the craft table, paper shapes prompted conversations about sides; coloured screws helped children connect numbers with quantities. Building a car track gave them a reason to persist and try different solutions.

The garden was being altered that January, so the large hall accommodated bikes, ball games and soft-play equipment. Physical play therefore had indoor space while the outdoor work was under way. Teaching had limitations, too: staff sometimes missed opportunities to take an activity further, and technology experiences needed broadening alongside age-appropriate discussion of internet safety.

At the January 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff able to recognise concerns and follow reporting procedures. That is a dated judgement.

During January 2023, children sought out their key workers and involved staff in their games. Practitioners used children's interests to plan next steps, while distraction helped settle minor disagreements. Accessible toys allowed children to make choices and extend their own activities.

Hygiene routines were less consistent. In January 2023, some children missed handwashing reminders before snacks, and staff did not reliably reinforce covering mouths when coughing. These were practical weaknesses in helping children develop independent self-care.

The address is Tring Community Centre, Silk Mill Way, Tring, HP23 5EP.

In January 2023, sessions ran from 9am to midday, Monday to Friday during term time, with a daily lunch club until 2pm. Funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four. These arrangements describe that period rather than establish today's booking offer.

• Teaching development. The January 2023 improvement priorities included stronger coaching and training. On a visit, ask how practitioners now extend children's ideas during play.
• Everyday hygiene. Handwashing and cough reminders were inconsistent in January 2023. Discuss how these routines are reinforced now.
• Technology experiences. January 2023 priorities included broader technology activities and simple online-safety learning. Ask what children currently do in this area.
• Attendance fit. The January 2023 pattern combined morning sessions with a lunch club. What attendance patterns can a family book today?

The January 2023 picture would suit families seeking play-based preschool learning, with morning attendance or a longer stay through lunch club. Practical mathematics and room for indoor movement gave children concrete ways to learn. The balanced decision rests on that Good judgement alongside specific improvements in teaching, hygiene and technology, rather than treating the older daily arrangements as a current offer.