Haddenham Pre School

Relationships and routines are the stronger side of Haddenham Pre School; teaching and leadership need closer scrutiny. This Chewells Lane setting in Haddenham, Ely, has capacity for 35 children.

At its December 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding standards met and inclusion and behaviour at the expected standard, while achievement, welfare and wellbeing, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance needed attention. These are separate area judgements, rather than an overall grade. Children attending at that time were aged two to five.

In December 2025, daily experiences included books, songs and conversations, alongside play dough, balls, bicycles and climbing equipment. Children used the outdoors each day. These experiences gave them opportunities to practise speaking and physical skills, but the educational purpose of activities was not consistently clear.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday interactions need to help children build their understanding and skills. In December 2025, an ice-and-water activity illustrated the difficulty here. Staff organised the experience but were unsure what children should learn from it.

Mathematics required specific work. Staff used mathematical terms without consistently explaining their meaning, and their understanding of children's counting skills was insufficient to plan what should follow. Assessments also failed to produce suitable next steps consistently. Enjoyable activities therefore did not reliably translate into carefully planned learning.

At the December 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children sought reassurance from staff, speech and language developed through conversation, and support involving outside professionals helped children with SEND make progress. Physiotherapists advised staff, while additional funding supported physical-development resources and some extra attendance sessions.

In December 2025, gentle reminders helped children follow routines, share resources and take turns. Fidget toys sometimes supported participation during group activities. These were practical ways of helping children join in.

Communication was developing, with a lending library being introduced to support reading at home. However, information about healthy eating had not been shared consistently with parents, and lunchtime policies were not being implemented. Parents supplied lunches at that time. Teaching about oral hygiene, exercise and rest also needed strengthening.

Leadership weaknesses affected this work. In December 2025, leaders lacked sufficient support with workload and wellbeing; supervision did not reach everyone working at the setting, and feedback and training were insufficiently tailored. Those shortcomings reduced the time and professional support available to improve teaching and care.

The address is Chewells Lane, Haddenham, Ely, CB6 3SS. In December 2025, opening hours were 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. This was an opening window, rather than a description of bookable sessions.

Capacity is 35 places in total. That figure describes the whole setting, not the size of a child's daily group.

• Learning progression. December 2025 findings identified unclear next steps and weaknesses in mathematics. Ask to see how staff now assess an individual child's understanding and plan the learning that follows.
• Healthy routines. Lunchtime guidance and teaching about food, oral hygiene, exercise and rest needed strengthening in December 2025. Discuss how these are now built into the day.
• Leadership support. December 2025 findings linked workload pressures and uneven supervision to weaknesses in provision. Ask what changes have been made to staff support and training.
• Attendance arrangements. The December 2025 opening window covered weekdays. Which booking patterns and age groups does the setting currently accommodate?

Haddenham Pre School merits consideration by families who value staff relationships, supported group participation and outdoor play. The December 2025 picture also demands careful attention to teaching: clear learning goals, mathematics and leadership support are central decision points. The December 2025 inspection required improvements to individual learning next steps, staff curriculum knowledge, sequenced mathematics teaching, healthy-eating policies and teaching, supervision and professional development, and support for leaders, with a completion deadline of 2 March 2026. Families should weigh the social experiences alongside the specific improvements required, rather than treating children's enjoyment as a substitute for educational quality.