Gateway Leesland Pre-School

Child-led play, home visits and photographs from home give Gateway Leesland Pre-School its clearest character. Based at Leesland C of E (Controlled) Junior School in Gosport, it combines a child-led approach with home visits and opportunities for parents to join activities. Relationships are a practical part of the offer, starting before a child begins attending.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes. Children sustained their attention, took pride in their work and treated others considerately. That is a dated assessment, but a useful picture of how learning and relationships worked together.

The pre-school has capacity for 42 children aged two to five. It operates during term time, making the school calendar an important part of the family decision.

Rooms and Ages

Butterfly Room and Caterpillar Room are the named rooms. Across the pre-school, children are encouraged to make decisions and direct their play, with staff planning the experiences and resources that support those choices. This gives children a say in their day rather than making adult-led activities the whole experience.

In March 2023, younger children explored sensory materials and miniature play resources, while older children pursued interests through pictures, stories, puzzles and imaginative play. Children explained what they were making and demonstrated their outdoor skills. Talking about an activity was part of doing it.

Learning and Activities

The pre-school follows the early years foundation stage, the framework for children's learning, development and care. In parent terms, this brings learning and everyday care together: opportunities to communicate, explore, move and develop relationships sit alongside support for children's wellbeing.

During March 2023, gardening gave that learning a concrete purpose. Children helped plan and build crop beds, grew vegetables, harvested them and used the produce in cooking. Compost-making and investigating garden creatures extended the activity beyond planting. A child could follow a process from preparation to something they could eat.

Language work also ran through the day in March 2023. Staff repeated important words for toddlers and encouraged older children to explain their thinking. Art materials were accessible for children to choose, and everyday clothing supported imaginative play. Outdoors, younger children were encouraged to experiment with different ways of using climbing and sliding equipment.

Home visits and photographs of familiar people and things help connect home with pre-school during settling. Parents can also take part in stay and play sessions and themed activities. These are concrete ways to build familiarity before expecting a child to feel comfortable independently.

Development records are shared routinely with families. Alongside opportunities to participate, this gives parents a continuing account of what their child is doing and learning, rather than leaving communication to occasional conversations.

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and identified effective work with specialist agencies and families to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The assessment connected that collaboration with positive behaviour support, giving families a dated indication of how individual needs were addressed.

In March 2023, children used emotion cards to begin conversations with adults, and their key person helped them talk about feelings. Staff modelled ways to express wants and supported younger children with sharing. Emotional understanding was something children practised, rather than simply a rule about behaving well.

For children learning English as an additional language, practice in March 2023 included asking families for useful words in the child's home language and encouraging that language at home. Spoken and written exchanges with parents were also made clear. This connected communication at pre-school with the language children already knew.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Attendance follows term time, with school holidays closed. Families arranging work around those hours need a holiday plan as well as a term-time routine.

Getting There

The address is Leesland C of E (Controlled) Junior School, Gordon Road, Gosport, PO12 3QF. Branch enquiries can be made by email to leesland@gatewaypreschools.org.

Being based at a school does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to use the local authority admissions process for a state-school place; the pre-school address should not be treated as an admissions advantage.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible two-year-olds and for all three- and four-year-olds. Eligibility for the younger age group remains a condition of that offer. Families considering paid childcare should obtain the nursery's current written quotation.

• Term-time routine. The pre-school closes during school holidays and its weekday opening window ends at 3.30pm. This suits a school-calendar routine, but families need arrangements that cover the rest of their working year.
• Learning about communities. In March 2023, cultural experiences needed greater depth and more consistent attention, including learning about the local community. At a visit, ask how children now learn about local communities and the wider world.
• Settling together. Home visits, familiar photographs and stay and play sessions involve parents directly. Consider how those opportunities would fit your child's way of becoming comfortable with new adults and surroundings.

Gateway Leesland suits families seeking a term-time pre-school with child-led play and direct parental involvement. Home visits and shared development records make the relationship with families tangible. Its March 2023 gardening work provides an especially clear example of learning through a purposeful activity.

The practical fit depends on the school calendar and weekday opening hours. The dated inspection picture is positive, while the recommendation to deepen learning about communities remains a useful question for a visit.