Little Barn Owls Pre-school

Access to Elson Infant School’s Forest School area, hall and library gives Little Barn Owls Pre-school a clear identity: preschool care with a practical connection to the next stage of education. Its home is the Treehouse building within the school grounds in Gosport. The school relationship adds spaces for children’s learning, but it does not guarantee a Reception place.

The setting takes children from two years until school age and has capacity for 30 children in total. At its September 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall.

Today, opening hours are 8am to 4pm on weekdays during term time, following Hampshire County Council term dates. This is a preschool offer to weigh against a family’s school calendar and working hours.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday experiences help children build skills before school. Little Barn Owls works with families and Elson Infant School to shape learning around children’s interests and development. The school connection adds access to its library and hall as well as the Forest School area, an outdoor space for learning.

In September 2021, communication developed through concrete experiences. Exploring magnets and compasses gave staff opportunities to introduce vocabulary, while language groups used songs and games.

Play also brought mathematical ideas into ordinary activities. In September 2021, staff encouraged comparisons and predictions during play. Children persisted with puzzles and used pretend lunch orders in role play. Those examples linked problem-solving with communication, keeping learning connected to something children were doing.

There were limits to the adult-led work. In September 2021, some activities occasionally lost their learning purpose or failed to match children’s needs. That matters alongside the engaging resources: an attractive activity still needs a clear purpose and suitable support for the children taking part.

Outdoor and Community Life

The partnership with Elson Infant School extends the preschool’s usable environment beyond its own space. Access to the Forest School area creates an outdoor learning option, while the hall and library add different settings for movement and books.

In September 2021, children enjoyed finding their favourite bikes outdoors, searched for bugs and helped look after the setting’s fish. Bug searches and caring for fish brought living things into their play.

Relationships were a substantial part of the September 2021 picture. Children turned to their key person when they needed reassurance, and staff made time for individual conversations. New starters could watch a video of their key person at home before beginning preschool. That gave a child a familiar face before the first session, making settling a process that started with the family.

At the September 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children’s emotional wellbeing well supported. Staff understood how to raise welfare concerns, and safeguarding knowledge was refreshed through training.

Communication with parents also had practical substance in September 2021. Key people gave detailed handovers when children went home, helping families understand their child’s experiences and allowing relationships with staff to develop from the start.

Independence was less consistent. In September 2021, children served themselves snacks and poured drinks, yet adults sometimes carried out manageable tasks for them. The improvement priority was to give children more consistent opportunities to try for themselves. For parents, that distinction matters: being cared for and learning self-care need to develop together.

A SENCO role provides a point of contact for special educational needs support. Catering is supplied by Chartwells Schools. The school partnership and the preschool’s work with families also connect care with preparation for the next educational stage, although school admissions remain a separate decision.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Treehouse Community building, Elson Lane, Gosport, PO12 4EU. Little Barn Owls opens Monday to Friday, from 8am until 4pm, during term time in line with Hampshire County Council term dates. Flexible Hours is the attendance label attached to this setting; the opening window should be treated separately from an individual child’s booked hours.

The term-time calendar has a direct practical implication. Families arranging care around employment need to account for the periods outside preschool terms as well as the weekday finishing time. Enquiries can be made by email to lbo@oaktreefamilygroup.org or by telephone on 023 92 009513.

Funding and Paid Extras

Little Barn Owls accepts early education funding, including 15 hours, the extended 30 hours and two-year funding. Its current offer operates during term time. Eligibility and the child’s agreed attendance pattern need to be considered together; funded entitlement should not be read as a promise of any particular booking.

Moving on to School

The nursery describes a partnership with Elson Infant School, including shared learning spaces and work on children’s development. Attending Little Barn Owls does not guarantee a place at the school. Families still use the local authority admissions process for Reception, so the benefits of familiarity with the site should be kept separate from an admissions advantage.

• Term-time care. The weekday opening window is 8am to 4pm, following Hampshire County Council terms. At a visit, discuss how a flexible booking would fit your family’s weekly routine and the periods when preschool is closed.
• Independence in practice. In September 2021, adults sometimes did tasks children could attempt themselves. Ask how staff now balance helping a child with giving them time to manage snacks, belongings and other everyday jobs.
• Purposeful activities. Adult-led learning occasionally missed children’s needs in September 2021. A useful visit question is how practitioners adapt a planned activity when children need a different level of challenge.
• Meals and everyday supplies. Chartwells Schools supplies the catering. Ask what meals and non-food consumables your proposed booking includes, and what families provide or pay for separately.

Little Barn Owls suits families seeking term-time preschool with flexible attendance and a tangible connection to Elson Infant School’s learning spaces. The Forest School area, hall and library give that relationship practical value. The September 2021 picture combined attentive relationships and engaging play with two clear improvement priorities: consistent independence and better-matched adult-led activities. Its appeal is strongest where the term dates and 4pm finish fit family life, and where the school connection is valued for children’s experiences rather than assumed admission to Reception.