St Peter's Penguins Pre School

Pom-poms lifted with tweezers, letters traced with paint dabbers and coloured water squeezed from syringes give St Peter's Penguins Pre School a practical early-learning character. In November 2022, these activities gave children opportunities to practise the hand control needed for writing.

At its 17 November 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good, found the curriculum ambitious and carefully sequenced, assessed support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities positively, and found safeguarding effective. The pre-school has 26 places in total; children attending at that visit were aged two to four.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, play, conversation and practical tasks formed part of that learning in November 2022. Staff followed children's interests, responding to curiosity about the alphabet by demonstrating letters on large paper.

Construction and exploration also featured that month. Children built homes for toy polar bears, investigated bubbles rising through liquid and joined staff in puddle play. These examples combined adult encouragement with room for children to choose what to do. Songs and two-way conversations gave children opportunities to talk about favourite animals and colours.

In November 2022, settling sessions could be adjusted to each child's pace, and staff gathered information from parents before children started. That made the transition responsive to the individual child rather than a fixed timetable.

Care routines that month included breakfast prepared by staff and explanations during nappy changes. Visual prompts and simple signing were used to support learning. Children sought reassurance from adults and included them in their games; they also helped one another with coats. Staff completed recurring safeguarding training and carried out daily premises checks.

The address is Phoenix St Peter Academy, Enstone Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0NE. Being based at the academy does not guarantee a Reception place.

In November 2022, attendance was term-time only, Monday to Friday. Sessions ran from 9am to 3.45pm on Monday to Thursday, with a shorter Friday session from 9am to midday. The difference matters for families organising a working week: Friday followed a substantially shorter pattern.

At that time, the pre-school provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four.

• Time spent waiting. In November 2022, handwashing before snacks involved lengthy waits that reduced children's time to play and learn. Ask how that routine now works and how staff keep children engaged between activities.
• Attendance across the week. The November 2022 pattern paired longer Monday-to-Thursday sessions with a Friday morning session, all in term time. How do today's session choices and funded-hours arrangements fit your weekly childcare needs?
• The school-site distinction. The Phoenix St Peter Academy address should not be read as a promise of a Reception place. Keep childcare choice and the later school application separate.

St Peter's Penguins has a Good judgement from November 2022, supported by concrete examples of hands-on learning and responsive settling. The same visit identified a practical weakness: waiting during routines interrupted learning.

On its November 2022 attendance model, it suited families seeking term-time daytime sessions and those needing a shorter Friday morning. Its appeal lies in the combination of child-led exploration, conversation and practical preparation for writing; the organisation of transitions between activities deserves attention.