Hounds Owls Preschool

Cloud-watching visors and journeys into the local community give Hounds Owls Preschool's March 2023 account its character: children's interests became activities, with opportunities to talk, explore and practise everyday skills. There are 40 places in total.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Outstanding, found safeguarding effective and praised the support that enabled children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to participate fully. Children attending then were aged two to five. These are dated findings, rather than a description of today's daily arrangements.

In March 2023, children explored cloud shapes and names using visors made for looking at the sky. That gave new vocabulary a concrete subject. Staff also joined children's imagined camping adventures, building conversation around ideas the children introduced.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the March 2023 examples included music, movement, imaginative play and opportunities to handle books: learning took several forms rather than relying on one activity.

Community outings in March 2023 included woodland, the post office, a café and a library, sometimes reached by public transport. These experiences connected learning with places children could recognise outside preschool. An adjacent field also gave small groups space to run before returning to shared activities.

In March 2023, small-group language sessions complemented conversations during play. A book of the week linked reading at preschool with reading at home, with an online link sent to parents. Families also contributed photographs of spring bulbs spotted on walks, which became material for discussion with children.

Staff training at that time covered attachment and communication with fathers. The practical emphasis was on helping less-confident children build relationships and involving fathers in exchanges about their children.

Everyday independence had tangible tasks in March 2023: children helped prepare fruit and served themselves with tongs. Books about considerate behaviour could also be borrowed by parents, connecting the messages children heard at preschool with those at home.

The address is Hound Parish Hall, Woolston Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton SO31 5FR.

In March 2023, opening hours were 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. At that date, the preschool received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. Those historical arrangements should be kept separate from a current booking decision.

• The date of the assessment. The Outstanding judgement dates to March 2023. It provides a strong assessment of practice at that point, rather than a fresh account of the team and routines.
• Matching the preschool to your child. During a visit, how do today's age range, attendance arrangements and funded provision fit your child, and how are the small-group language work and community outings organised now?

Hounds Owls Preschool suits families drawn to learning through conversation, books and experiences beyond the setting, judging by its March 2023 practice. Its strongest evidence concerns inclusion and the ways staff involved children and parents in learning. The judgement is compelling, but its date matters when making a present-day choice.