HEDCA Preschool

In March 2025, bug hunting, herb growing and counting ingredients for pretend recipes gave HEDCA Preschool a practical, hands-on character. Based at Hardway Elson District Community Association in Gosport, it has 26 places in total. At that time, the garden supplied more than fresh air: it provided material for creative play, physical challenges and early mathematical thinking.

At its March 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated HEDCA Good and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. Children attending then were aged 2 to 4. Everyday independence was a clear thread, from dressing for outdoor play to managing handwashing, alongside an emphasis on communication and confidence.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the March 2025 examples show what that means in practice: children explored ideas through play, practised communicating and used everyday activities to develop their independence. Learning was connected to things they could handle and investigate.

In March 2025, practitioners used children's existing knowledge as the starting point for activities. Growing herbs gave children experience of planting and caring for living things, while a sound-guessing game encouraged concentration and listening. These were purposeful experiences rather than activities detached from children's next steps.

The mud kitchen brought counting into imaginative play. Children worked from recipes and measured out natural materials for their pretend drinks, giving numbers a practical purpose. Support from staff linked the play to mathematical understanding. For parents, that is a useful illustration of how learning can happen through imaginative mud kitchen play.

Outdoor and Community Life

During March 2025, children spent a substantial part of their day in the garden. Searching for insects led into painting ants, connecting an outdoor discovery with creative expression. Children shared the pictures they had made with one another, so the activity also created opportunities to communicate about their work.

Building obstacle courses added a different kind of challenge. Children tested their balance and considered risks as they used the courses, with staff encouraging their attempts. The outdoor space therefore supported both investigation and movement. It was an active part of the day, rather than simply a break between indoor activities.

At the March 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children made good progress and that support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities was strong, including collaboration with families and other professionals. Practical help included supporting parents to use a visual timetable at home, connecting approaches across the two settings.

In March 2025, staff identified developmental gaps and planned activities around what each child needed to learn next. Additional funding supported resources chosen around children's interests. That made the support tangible: children's needs influenced both the activities planned for them and the materials available to use.

Families knew their child's key person, and daily conversations included suggestions for continuing learning at home. Leaders also helped with paperwork where needed. Communication extended beyond a brief account of the day, giving parents practical ways to take part in their child's learning.

Small routines mattered too. During March 2025, children practised putting on outdoor clothing and washing their hands before eating a snack. Staff recognised their efforts, and children followed familiar expectations during play. These examples show independence being practised in manageable steps through the ordinary nursery day.

Sessions and Attendance

HEDCA Preschool is based at Hardway Elson District Community Association, Coombe Road, Gosport, PO12 4JB. In March 2025, its opening hours were 9am to 3.30pm on weekdays, with operation confined to term time. That timetable is relevant to families arranging care around working hours and school holidays.

Funding and Paid Extras

In March 2025, HEDCA received childcare funding for children aged two, three and four. This establishes its participation at that point; it does not establish an individual family's entitlement.

Enquiries can be made through the community centre's contact form, by telephone on 02392 588023 or by email to hedca23@yahoo.com. These provide a direct route to the centre that houses the preschool.

• Challenge for older children. In March 2025, staff did not consistently take the learning of older and more able children far enough. Training and coaching needed greater attention to this, making extension beyond a child's existing skills an important point to explore during a visit.
• Term-time planning. The March 2025 timetable finished at 3.30pm and followed term time. Families whose care needs extend into evenings or holidays should weigh how that schedule fits their arrangements.
• Joining and costs. For a child joining HEDCA Preschool, what attendance pattern, funded-hours arrangement, meals and consumables would the nursery's written quotation cover?

HEDCA merits consideration by families who value practical play, outdoor exploration and everyday independence. The March 2025 picture combines gardening and imaginative counting with useful communication between staff and parents. It suits parents interested in that style of preschool experience, with the term-time timetable central to the decision. The reservation is clear: older and more able children needed more consistent challenge.