West End Pre-School

A dial telephone, a garden obstacle course and stories explored through touch give West End Pre-School a recognisable character. In September 2023, children used these everyday experiences to practise conversation, movement and describing what they felt. Learning had concrete starting points.

At its 21 September 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the pre-school Good overall and found safeguarding effective. West End Pre-School has 30 places in total at Hilldene Annexe, High Street, West End, Southampton SO30 3DU; the children attending in September 2023 were aged two to four.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the September 2023 examples included play that developed language, physical coordination and independence.

An old dial telephone and a modern cordless version let children compare how familiar objects change, while dialling also exercised their fingers. Animal games introduced vocabulary, with staff explaining unfamiliar words. We're Going on a Bear Hunt became a tactile activity: children explored textures with bare feet and used descriptive language to connect those sensations with the story.

Outside, in September 2023, scooters and tricycles took children around obstacles in the garden. This gave physical play a clear challenge, involving steering and control. A sand timer helped children manage turns when a toy was wanted by more than one person, making the rules of sharing visible.

In September 2023, home visits helped staff learn about children's interests and existing abilities before they started. Staff used that knowledge to plan activities, giving families a practical role in shaping the settling process.

At the September 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator oversaw targeted support, staff worked effectively with families and external agencies, and children learning English received successful support through familiar home-language words. The concrete mechanisms included speaking and listening programmes and gathering useful vocabulary from families.

Communication in September 2023 combined an online application, termly key-person meetings and feedback at collection. These offered different opportunities to discuss care and progress. Community participation included harvest festival at the local church, linking children's experiences with life beyond the pre-school.

In September 2023, opening hours were 8.30am to 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday opening from 8.30am to midday. The pre-school operated during term time. That timetable made the shorter Wednesday an important part of family planning.

Funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four was accepted in September 2023. This is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise about an individual child's entitlement.

• Consistency of teaching. In September 2023, staff monitoring did not reliably identify who needed tailored support, and some group interactions did not build sufficiently on each child's abilities. More precise staff support was the improvement priority, relevant to children learning alongside others with different needs.
• Term-time planning. The September 2023 timetable included a shorter Wednesday and term-time operation. At a visit, how would the current attendance arrangements fit your family's week and holiday childcare needs?

West End Pre-School merits consideration for families who value practical play, language development and links between home and pre-school. Its September 2023 character was clear: familiar objects, physical challenges and shared stories supplied the learning material. The term-time timetable then suited families needing daytime care with an earlier Wednesday finish. Consistency in staff interactions remains the key dated improvement point to weigh alongside that picture.