Orchard House Preschool

A child-run snack bar, a sensory room and a garden that children can use through the day give Orchard House Preschool a practical, play-led character. This Ware preschool welcomes children from two years to Reception age, with a maximum of 26 attending a session. Its scale is clear; its day gives children opportunities to choose, contribute and practise doing things for themselves.

At its 3 May 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good and safeguarding effective, while asking staff to stretch children's chosen play further and develop their problem-solving. That judgement predates the current manager, who joined in July 2026. It provides a dated assessment rather than an assessment of the new leadership.

Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions give families different ways to use the setting. The shorter Friday opening is an important practical distinction.

Rooms and Ages

The sensory room uses textures, colour, sound and scent to invite exploration, while the main room combines construction and small-world play with books, domestic role play and messy activities. These spaces offer different play experiences. Children can choose between imaginative play, making things and quieter time with a book.

For younger preschool children, that choice matters: taking part need not mean joining the same activity as everyone else. The garden adds another setting for play and can be used throughout the day when the weather allows. Outdoor time therefore has a place beyond a single scheduled break.

Learning and Activities

The planned curriculum uses Early Years Foundation Stage Principles (EYFS), the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, its practical expression includes play chosen by children, individual time with a key worker and activities led by adults. Phonics, games, clearing away and a story bring sessions to a close, giving children a recognisable rhythm alongside their choices.

Recognition extends to everyday achievements. Certificates and stickers can mark helping another child, tidying or making something new with construction toys. The emphasis is on participation and small steps, rather than reserving praise for a finished piece of work.

In May 2022, children's interest in building sites prompted indoor and outdoor role play, including a construction shed where they discussed measurements and how to make a wall. Stories also moved outdoors, and conversations about farm visits drew on the experience of hatching chicks. Those examples show how interests could connect talk, practical activity and remembered experiences at that time.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Sponsored obstacle course, Summer trips, Christmas Party and Fancy Dress days punctuate the year. Fancy Dress days involve dressing up; the obstacle course adds a physical activity to the event calendar. These give families shared occasions alongside the ordinary session routine.

Membership of the Preschool Learning Alliance and Young in Herts provides access to advice, information and training. These are links supporting the preschool's work, rather than a separate curriculum for children.

Relationships and Communication

Individual time with a key worker is part of a typical session, giving children an opportunity for attention alongside group activities. Comforters may come from home, with children encouraged to put them somewhere designated to reduce the chance of losing them. That offers a familiar object while they take part in preschool life.

Collection arrangements are specific. Parents must tell the key worker who will collect their child if it is someone else, and provide a password for that person to use. This is a practical procedure for changes to the usual family routine.

In May 2022, staff and parents discussed behaviour and ways to continue learning at home. Children also practised independence by managing their coats and helping clear up after snack. These dated examples give substance to the preschool's emphasis on children taking responsibility for manageable tasks.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The deputy manager is a qualified SENCO and has training in Wellcomm, a speech screening tool. The manager is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, and the deputy also holds a safeguarding role. These identify responsibilities and a route for discussing a child's needs; they do not replace the dated safeguarding judgement.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff recognised support needs promptly and worked with parents and other professionals to help children progress. The practical question for families is how that work would apply to their own child now.

The snack bar gives children turns serving their friends, making snack time an opportunity to contribute. Families should tell staff about special dietary requirements so the preschool can try to accommodate them; children ready for toilet training are encouraged to attend in Pull-Ups so staff can support the process.

Sessions and Attendance

Orchard House Preschool operates at 82 Park Road, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 0AN. Morning sessions run from 9.15am to 12.15pm, afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and full days from 9.15am to 3.30pm. Opening hours are 9.15am to 3.30pm Monday to Thursday, with Friday finishing at 12.15pm.

There are September and January intakes, with an email route for the waiting list and visit bookings. Session changes can be discussed with staff, who request as much notice as possible; that is a request process rather than a guaranteed change. The autumn half-term closure runs from 26 to 30 October 2026, a date families need to factor into childcare planning.

Funding and Paid Extras

Nursery Education Funding is accepted from the term after a child's second or third birthday, including 30 hours funding. Private sessions are also offered. Families should request a current written quotation for their chosen attendance pattern. Full fees remain payable when a child is absent through illness or a holiday.

Lunch Club carries a separate charge, so it belongs in the discussion about the total cost of a child's attendance rather than being assumed part of the session. The funded entitlement and any additional paid arrangements should be treated separately when planning attendance.

• Friday and school holidays. Friday ends at 12.15pm, and the October half-term closure falls on 26 to 30 October 2026. These need to fit the family's wider childcare arrangements.
• Challenge during play. In May 2022, staff sometimes stopped short of extending children's ideas. On a visit, ask how practitioners now help a child pursue a difficult construction task or solve a problem independently.
• Funding and Lunch Club. Funding starts from the term after the relevant birthday, and Lunch Club is charged separately. What would the written quotation include for your chosen sessions, funded hours, food and consumables?
• Individual support. The deputy's SENCO qualification and Wellcomm training provide a concrete starting point. Families with communication or dietary needs should discuss how support and current snack arrangements would work for their child.

Orchard House suits families choosing morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those wanting a full day within its opening hours. The sensory room, flexible access to the garden and child-run snack bar give its play-based day clear practical character. Its 2022 Good judgement is useful, but the change of manager and the earlier recommendation to deepen children's play make current practice a worthwhile visit topic. Friday's shorter day and holiday closures need to fit the family's plans.