Peter Pan Pre-School

Lemon slices, teabags and overflowing containers gave children a practical introduction to prediction and mathematics in November 2024. That hands-on activity captures the character of Peter Pan Pre-School at Methodist Church Hall in Petersfield: stories, conversation and experimentation shared the day with opportunities to contribute to the local community.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its 6 November 2024 inspection. It has 30 places in total; children attending at that visit were aged two to four.

In November 2024, learning followed the early years foundation stage, the framework for children's learning, development and care. Singing, books and small-group activities gave children opportunities to practise language and listening. A caterpillar story led to making play dough creatures, connecting a shared book with children's own creations.

Physical activity included climbing, balancing and movement to music, giving children practice in coordination as well as opportunities to move. In the sensory tray, adding lemon slices to water containers and experimenting with teabags prompted predictions and new vocabulary. These were concrete experiences children could investigate for themselves.

The November 2024 examples show how one activity could connect several areas of learning. Water experiments brought prediction and mathematics together with conversation: children watched what happened to the containers, while staff supplied words for the changes and ingredients. The learning was tied to something children were doing. Books offered another route. Children could choose from many books and share them with adults; during group stories, they joined in with familiar passages. Listening, remembering and speaking therefore had a place alongside making and moving. The caterpillar activity carried the story into play, giving children a different way to respond to what they had heard.

Community participation also featured that November. Families contributed to a local food bank, while children baked biscuits for coffee mornings. These activities connected the preschool day with helping other people.

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described support for children with SEND through individual plans developed with parents and healthcare professionals. That joint planning connected support within the setting with advice from people involved in a child's care.

During that November, parents were told who their child's key person was, and staff used their knowledge of individual children to offer specific help. Music and mindfulness formed part of emotional support, alongside a calm space children could use when overwhelmed. This gave children somewhere to pause when the busier activities became too much.

Support in November 2024 also involved watching children's development and planning particular activities around their needs. Individual plans brought parents and healthcare professionals into that work, rather than leaving support solely within the preschool day. For families, the useful distinction is the mechanism: adults shared a plan for the child, and activities could be selected to address their development. Emotional support had both an activity and a physical component. Children could practise mindfulness or listen to music, and the calm space offered somewhere separate from an activity when they felt overwhelmed.

The address is Methodist Church Hall, Station Road, Petersfield, GU32 3EB.

In November 2024, opening hours were 7.15am to 3pm, Monday to Thursday, during term time; Fridays were closed. At that date, the preschool received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. These are inspection-time arrangements.

• Changes between activities. In November 2024, children sometimes lacked clear direction around snack time, affecting their engagement and behaviour. A visit is an opportunity to discuss how staff now guide these changes.
• Consistent challenge. The November 2024 improvement priorities included stronger coaching and mentoring so staff could support each child's next learning steps consistently. Discuss how activities are adjusted as children develop. Leaders already observed staff practice and supported professional development in November 2024, but their oversight did not always secure consistent challenge for children. The question is how that support translates into daily activity: how does a practitioner extend an experiment for a child ready to explore further, or adapt a story activity to their next learning step?
• Term-time planning. The November 2024 timetable covered Monday to Thursday only. How would the current attendance arrangements fit your working week and holiday needs?

Peter Pan Pre-School merits consideration for families drawn to learning through stories, practical experiments and community participation. Its November 2024 offer suited families seeking term-time attendance across Monday to Thursday. The Good judgement provides a useful starting point, balanced by clear improvement priorities around daily transitions and consistent challenge.