Little Oaks Pre-School

In January 2024, worm discoveries, music and a dedicated baby area gave Little Oaks Pre-School a recognisable character: practical learning alongside close relationships with adults. Based at Adeyfield Community Centre in Hemel Hempstead, this family business has operated since 2009 and accepts children from six months to five years. It has 32 places in total.

At its January 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective. The strongest practical detail was the way children used their surroundings: choosing resources independently, climbing outdoors and drawing adults into imaginary play. There was also a clear improvement point concerning opportunities for younger children to practise conversation and share their ideas.

Opening hours are 8am to 4pm, with individually timed childcare and set sessions offered. That gives families more than one way to organise attendance.

Rooms and Ages

Tiny Oaks, Little Oaks and Little Conkers are the named rooms, each with a room leader role. For a parent comparing care across the age range, these names provide a useful starting point for understanding how the setting organises its children and staff.

In January 2024, babies used a dedicated baby area and sought comfort from their key person while exploring. Elsewhere, resources were arranged so children could make their own choices. Adults encouraged those who were hesitant to join an activity, giving them a supported route into play rather than leaving the choice entirely to the child.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the January 2024 examples included pretend telephone conversations, identifying shapes and counting their sides: play gave children opportunities to use language and mathematical ideas together.

Music and dance added movement to the day. In January 2024, children followed adults' instructions during these activities, while outdoor climbing and sliding provided further opportunities to practise coordination. These were active experiences with a clear purpose, rather than simply a break from indoor learning.

Conversation was less consistent for younger children. In January 2024, adults supervised lunch but did not use that time for substantial discussion with them. This matters because a routine shared activity can also be an opportunity for children to express what they know and hear other people's ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

In January 2024, outdoor play included digging in mud and finding worms. Adults extended the discovery by encouraging closer examination, turning a child's excitement into an opportunity to notice features of the natural world. The outdoor area also contained play equipment and a slide.

The September 2025 Roald Dahl Dress-up Day invited children to bring a favourite book and wear a favourite character's costume. A Christmas Stay & Play was also scheduled for November 2025, with a limit of two parents per child or family. These past events illustrate two different ways families have been involved: sharing children's interests and joining activities at the setting.

Settling begins with sessions for the child and parent together, meeting staff and becoming familiar with daily routines. That gives the family a shared introduction to the people and pattern of the day before regular attendance begins. The staff team includes designated safeguarding roles and SEND practitioner roles, and staff have first-aid training and current DBS checks.

At the January 2024 inspection, Ofsted found effective SEND support through individual targets, work with parents and other professionals, and shared strategies for home and preschool, alongside a purposeful curriculum shaped around children's experiences and areas needing development. The practical value is continuity: adults working with a child have specific goals and ways of supporting them together.

In January 2024, management observed staff working with children, set achievable development targets and supported further training. The setting then employed nine childcare staff, seven holding level 3 early years qualifications. These are staffing details from that visit, rather than a statement about today's deployment.

Communication has included individual discussions with a child's key person. In June 2024, Parents Evening offered appointments either by telephone or face to face, with parents expressing a preferred time. That arrangement made discussion possible in more than one format, which can help families fit a conversation around other responsibilities.

Sessions and Attendance

Little Oaks opens from 8am until 4pm. Families can arrange childcare for the times they need and pay for those times; set sessions are another option. The distinction matters: the opening window defines the limits of the day, while the flexible arrangement allows attendance within it.

In January 2024, the setting operated Monday to Friday during term time. Its 2025–2026 calendar also followed terms, with half-term breaks and Christmas and Easter holidays.

Getting There

The address is Adeyfield Community Centre, Queens Square, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4EW. Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 01442 737420.

Funding and Paid Extras

Little Oaks offers funding for two- and three-year-olds and 30-hour funding, and accepts childcare vouchers and other government schemes. These are separate from the privately paid childcare offered through its timed attendance arrangements; they do not establish an individual family's eligibility or entitlement.

Fees are payable ahead of attendance, with daily, weekly or monthly payment options. Families should obtain a current written quotation so the cost relates to their chosen pattern of care.

• Younger children's conversation. The January 2024 improvement point concerned consistent opportunities to develop social skills and share ideas, with lunchtime discussion a specific example. During a visit, ask how staff now build conversation into younger children's routines.
• Attendance and holiday planning. Individually timed care and set sessions offer different attendance options, while the 2025–2026 calendar included holiday closures. Discuss how the intended booking would fit both the daily opening window and the current term calendar.
• Meals and everyday supplies. For a child attending across lunchtime or needing nappies, what would the family provide, and which food or consumables would be included or charged separately in the quotation?

Little Oaks suits families seeking either individually timed childcare or set sessions, with a community-centre base and a settling process that involves parents. Its January 2024 strengths were tangible: children choosing their play, exploring outdoors and using their key person for reassurance.

The balance for parents is equally concrete. The January 2024 improvement point about younger children's everyday conversations deserves attention alongside the appealing activity examples. For families who value practical play and a gradual introduction to staff and routines, there is a clear basis for considering Little Oaks.