Spring Pre School

A forest attached to the outdoor area gives Spring Pre School a clear character: this is a preschool where physical exploration sits alongside creative play. Based at St. Barnabus Church in Blackwater, Camberley, it accepts children from their second birthday until they move on to mainstream school and has capacity for 38 children. The outdoor space is a substantial part of the offer, rather than a backdrop to indoor activities.

At its 9 March 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged inclusion to be Strong standard and the other assessed areas to be Expected standard, with safeguarding standards met. That gives parents a more useful picture than a single overall label: inclusion is the strongest assessed area, while teaching, routines and communication with families still have specific points to develop.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning here, with play and exploration helping children develop communication, physical skills, creative expression and early understanding of the world. Spring places emphasis on art, writing, mathematics and imaginative play for children aged two to four. These are connected experiences: children can explore an idea through movement, conversation or making something, rather than only through an adult-led task.

In March 2026, language teaching included adults introducing vocabulary during conversation, alongside songs, rhymes and stories. Number work also happened within ordinary routines, including counting steps and counting at snack time. These examples make early learning tangible for parents: conversation and counting were woven into activities children were already doing.

Fine-motor practice had a similarly practical form. In March 2026, children threaded pasta onto string, while pipettes gave them another way to experiment with moving water. Both activities required controlled hand movements. Threading pasta and transferring water gave children practical opportunities to develop coordination and explore cause and effect.

Whole-group teaching was less consistent. In March 2026, some children were insufficiently involved in shared sessions and consequently lost opportunities for conversation and further learning. That matters alongside the engaging individual examples: an appealing activity still needs to hold the attention of the children taking part.

Outdoor and Community Life

The large outside area and attached forest suit children who enjoy movement and sensory exploration.

In March 2026, the mud kitchen supported potion-making and experiments with coloured water. Children explored colour mixing through play, connecting an immediate, visible change with early scientific and mathematical ideas. Outdoors also involved lifting tyres and hammering nails, bringing effort and coordination into their activities.

Building together added a social dimension. In March 2026, children used crates and planks to construct a pirate ship, discussing ideas and working with one another. The same materials offered both a physical challenge and a reason to negotiate. Outdoor learning was therefore about more than releasing energy.

Relationships and Communication

In March 2026, staff comforted children when they needed reassurance and supported them to return to play. Adults also helped children resolve small disagreements and practise sharing. Sand timers made waiting visible, giving children a concrete way to understand taking turns rather than relying entirely on repeated adult reminders.

Everyday independence received attention too. In March 2026, children practised dressing for outdoor play, pouring drinks and tidying resources. These small responsibilities gave them opportunities to make decisions and manage familiar tasks for themselves.

Daily conversations and progress meetings formed part of parent communication in March 2026. However, contact was less consistent for families who were harder to reach, and strengthening those relationships remained a next step. Parents should weigh the everyday exchange of information alongside how reliably longer-term progress reaches every family.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that tailored SEND support included individual adult help, adapted resources, visual communication aids and work with specialists, with funding used to create a sensory room. The practical value lies in the adjustments: children could approach learning through support matched to their needs, rather than being expected to participate in precisely the same way.

In March 2026, children with SEND learnt Makaton signs to support communication. Visual prompts and a timetable also helped explain what was happening, while a quiet space gave children somewhere to manage their feelings. These are concrete mechanisms families can discuss when considering a child's communication or emotional needs.

Health and self-care were part of daily routines in March 2026, including handwashing, exercise and conversations about feelings. Staff protected children's dignity during nappy changes. Transitions between activities were a weaker point: some involved prolonged waiting, interrupting children's involvement and reducing time for independent learning.

Preparation for school included information sharing, visits and joint activities with local schools in March 2026. The emphasis was familiarity with new routines and the next stage of learning. That sits naturally alongside practising self-care and taking responsibility for small tasks.

Sessions and Attendance

Spring opens from 8.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Thursday and from 8.30am to 3pm on Friday. The earlier Friday finish is an immediate planning consideration for families arranging collection around work or other commitments.

Children are accepted from their second birthday until mainstream school. Enquiries and enrolment go through the office, and the contact form provides another route to get in touch. Email enquiries can be sent to info@spring-preschool.co.uk.

Getting There

The address is St. Barnabus Church, Brinns Lane, Blackwater, Camberley, GU17 0BT.

• Participation in group activities. In March 2026, shared sessions did not consistently involve every child. At a visit, ask how adults adapt these activities for children with different attention spans and communication needs.
• Waiting between activities. Some transitions involved lengthy pauses in March 2026. Ask how the daily routine now keeps children involved while activities change.
• Communication that reaches your family. Daily discussions and progress meetings were in place in March 2026, but contact with harder-to-reach families needed strengthening. Discuss how progress updates would fit your family's circumstances.
• Attendance and the written quotation. Opening hours end earlier on Friday. Ask which booking pattern would fit your week and how funded hours, meals and non-food consumables would be treated in your quotation.

Spring suits families seeking preschool care from age two, with creative play and a substantial outdoor setting. The attached forest gives its current offer a recognisable strength, while the March 2026 examples show how practical materials supported movement, conversation and cooperation.

Inclusion is the strongest assessed area, with visual communication aids and a sensory room among the March 2026 examples. Balance this against next steps on group participation, transitions and parent communication, and Friday's earlier finish.