Little Saints Preschool

Songs, signing and early letter sounds give Little Saints Preschool a recognisable character: its September 2022 account centres on children learning to communicate and preparing for Reception. At its 22 September 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged it Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised support for children with additional needs, including individual help where needed.

Based at St. Josephs Catholic Primary School in Stourbridge, the preschool has 24 places in total. The inspection describes an intimate preschool day, but its observations belong to September 2022 rather than today's provision.

In September 2022, the welcome song combined speech with signing, helping children needing language support participate. A photograph helped each child identify their peg, giving independence a simple, practical starting point.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, the September 2022 examples included conversation, physical coordination and learning alongside other children. The silly soup song involved choosing objects with the same initial sound, connecting letters with something children could handle.

That September, a new word was introduced each week. Threading pipe cleaners through holes encouraged precise hand movements, with staff adding conversation about shape and colour. Musical instruments also became a listening game: children guessed an instrument from its sound.

Outdoor access was free-flow in September 2022. Water pipes and a watering can gave children opportunities to practise sharing equipment and waiting for a turn. Rules developed with the children brought their own contribution into group expectations.

In September 2022, staff worked with other professionals and devised support strategies for children needing additional help. Managers arranged training around practitioners' interests, making staff development part of the setting's planning.

At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted identified two improvements: parents needed fuller explanations of development and future learning, and children needed longer to formulate answers, especially those less confident about speaking. These are useful points to explore because warm relationships and detailed communication serve different purposes.

Security arrangements in September 2022 included a parent passcode, daily environmental checks and procedures for raising welfare concerns. Staff suitability was checked during recruitment and subsequently.

The address is St. Josephs Catholic Primary School, Leavale Road, Stourbridge, DY8 2DT.

In September 2022, the preschool operated on weekdays during school terms, with sessions running from 8.45am to 3.15pm. It provided funded early education for three- and four-year-olds at that time.

Staff collaborated with the school on the same site in September 2022 to prepare children for Reception. Attending the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place; families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Development updates. September 2022 improvement priorities included clearer explanations of children's development and future learning. Ask how these are shared now.
• Time to speak. Children were sometimes prompted before they had enough time to answer in September 2022. A visit can explore how quieter children are supported in group conversations.
• Term-time routine. The September 2022 pattern followed school terms. What attendance arrangements can the preschool offer your family now?

Little Saints suits families drawn to a preschool experience with school preparation, language games and opportunities for independence. Its September 2022 strengths were concrete, from signing together to outdoor turn-taking. Clear developmental updates and enough thinking time for quieter children remain the most useful questions against that dated picture.