Longfield Kindergarten

A child-designed hairdressing salon, real wigs and a timed water challenge give Longfield Kindergarten's May 2022 learning experiences their character: practical, playful and shaped by children's ideas. At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the kindergarten Outstanding and found that carefully targeted teaching helped children make rapid progress.

Based in Fleckney, the kindergarten has capacity for 24 children. In May 2022, the children attending were aged two to four; the account below describes practice at that time.

In May 2022, children contributed ideas through fish wish, an activity-planning approach that brought their requests into the programme. Suggestions included cake baking, sitting in a tractor and creating a salon with wigs to wash and cut. Staff built learning intentions around those requests, giving children's choices a practical role in their day.

The water spray challenge combined experimentation with physical effort. Children selected bottles, squeezed their triggers to fill tubs and reconsidered their choices after comparing results. This connected hand strength, discussion and early thinking about capacity in one activity.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the May 2022 examples made those elements tangible through play: discussing pictures in a wordless book supported conversation, while jumping from large logs offered opportunities to practise physical skills. Staff gradually reduced the hand support they gave as children became more confident.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with careful safety checks, regular headcounts and staff who understood how to report concerns.

In May 2022, practitioners adapted their help to individual children and selected books around their developmental needs. Social learning was concrete too: children practised sharing, exchanging resources politely and recognising other children's successes. These were everyday opportunities to build relationships, rather than separate lessons about behaviour.

An on-site play area also gave parents somewhere to meet and support one another in May 2022. Staff invited families to help shape learning alongside practitioners, connecting home experiences with activities at the kindergarten.

The address is Longfield House, Kilby Road, Fleckney, Leicester, LE8 8BQ.

In May 2022, attendance was term-time only, Monday to Friday, with sessions running from 9am to 3pm. The kindergarten also provided funded early education for three- and four-year-olds at that time. That timetable described a daytime session within the school-term pattern.

• Attendance arrangements. The May 2022 timetable was term-time, 9am to 3pm. At a visit, what are the current sessions, accepted ages and funding arrangements?
• Learning through children's choices. In May 2022, fish wish turned requests into planned experiences, including baking and salon play. This approach will interest families who value children having a say in activities.
• Age of the assessment. The Outstanding judgement dates to May 2022. Treat the detailed examples as an account of care and learning at that point.

Longfield's May 2022 strengths were hands-on learning, responsive adult support and purposeful opportunities for independence. Its term-time daytime pattern suited families seeking attendance during school terms rather than a timetable spanning the holidays. For parents drawn to child-led ideas with clear learning intentions, the inspection gives concrete examples to weigh.