Little Angels Pre School

A vegetable patch, a sensory room and small-group language work give Little Angels Pre School a clear character: play and communication belong together here. Based at the Baptist Church Hall in Borehamwood, this charity-run preschool combines child-chosen activities with adult-led learning. Its activities are designed for children aged 2 to 5, and it has 35 places in total. That capacity describes the whole setting, rather than the size of any child's group.

Ofsted rated Little Angels Outstanding on 8 February 2023. The detail behind that judgement included storytelling with props, practical number work and carefully managed changes between activities. Those are useful examples of how learning worked at that point, rather than simply a badge to attach to the current offer.

Morning, afternoon and all-day bookings give families different ways to use the preschool. The strongest reasons to consider it, though, are the concrete arrangements around language development, individual support and keeping parents involved in their child's learning.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the shared framework for early years learning and care, covering communication, movement, relationships, literacy and mathematics. Children choose activities and join adult-led learning, combining independent exploration with planned tasks.

Counting, matching and sorting sit alongside songs, stories and imaginative play. Mark-making and small hand movements prepare children for writing. The preschool library supports everyday reading, while art, dance, music and construction give children other ways to express ideas.

In February 2023, children used story props while learning vocabulary connected with a butterfly's development. Mathematical activities included identifying magnetic numbers and comparing the sizes of sandcastles. Staff also used a song to signal that tidying would soon begin. These examples show learning woven into play and routines, with a warning before an activity ends rather than an abrupt change of direction.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden has level surfaces, with artificial grass, paving, a sand pit and flower beds; a ramp connects it to the building. A vegetable patch gives children something living to observe as part of learning about the world. The mix of surfaces and growing spaces creates different reasons to spend time outside, while the ramp is a practical detail for families considering access.

In February 2023, outdoor play included sack races, and children explored texture and marks by combining paint with foam. Current learning activities also include exploring the natural environment and celebrating cultures and festivals. Families can contribute songs and traditions from their own backgrounds, bringing familiar experiences into the preschool's shared activities.

Relationships and Communication

Every child is allocated a key worker who follows their development and maintains their learning records. Parents can see their child's records, and consultations take place each term. That gives families both an ongoing point of contact and a scheduled opportunity to discuss progress, rather than relying on occasional conversations alone.

Baby's Days is the parent portal and online learning journal, containing observations, photographs, messages, activities, accident and medication forms, policies and permissions. Parents can access their child's information at any time and return to observations when discussing progress with staff.

In February 2023, library books and activity packs connected preschool learning with home, alongside webinars and parent consultations.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and identified strong SEND support through targeted interventions and cooperation between the coordinator and other professionals. That is a dated judgement; today's support arrangements are best understood through the mechanisms families can use.

A dedicated SENCo plans support with parents and the key person, including before a child with an identified need starts. Speech and language therapists, health visitors, educational psychologists and autism specialists contribute advice. Observations inform learning plans, with staff training linked to individual needs.

The Individual Assessment of Early Learning and Development tool (IAELD) helps identify areas where a child may need additional support. An Independent Education Plan can set targets specific to that child. Social Communication Group times use small-group activities to practise language, sharing and taking turns, while the Wellcomm assessment toolkit helps staff tailor communication activities. These are useful details for families whose main concern is speech, language or participation in group play.

Hertfordshire STEPS is the behaviour approach, concentrating on triggers, preventing escalation and giving children alternative strategies. Staff work with parents when difficulties persist. Visual timetables using pictures or symbols provide another way to explain routines, and most staff use Makaton sign language daily to support communication.

Inside, there are no stairs in use, and the building includes a wheelchair-accessible toilet and a sensory room. Staff help with toileting and nappy changes, and can undertake training for a child's medical requirements. Prescribed medication can be administered. These practical arrangements matter when assessing whether a child's care needs can be accommodated alongside their learning.

Transition support includes contacting a child's next setting and inviting its teacher or key person to meet and play with them at preschool. In February 2023, children and staff also visited schools and shared information with teachers, including approaches to behaviour. The emphasis is on familiarity and continuity of care as children move on.

Sessions and Attendance

Little Angels operates at the Baptist Church Hall, 12 Furzehill Road, Borehamwood, WD6 2DF. Its opening hours are 9am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and All Day runs from 9am to 3.30pm.

A paid lunch extension takes morning bookings to 1pm or starts afternoons at noon. Lunch Club is the optional noon-to-1pm arrangement attached to mornings, with packed lunches brought from home.

There are no restrictions on session choices. In February 2023, the preschool operated during term time only. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email or by telephone. For the waiting list, families are asked to supply their child's name and date of birth; admission decisions take account of special needs and circumstances, siblings and waiting-list position.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded places are accepted under the published categories of 2 year funded places (15 hours), 3/4 nursery funded places (15 hours) and 30 hours funding. Private paid sessions are also offered, and the preschool accepts childcare vouchers and tax-free childcare. Eligibility and the attendance arrangement should be settled for the individual family rather than assumed from participation in funding alone.

There is no deposit, and the preschool states that it does not charge for additional extras, alongside its separately priced lunch-session extension. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the sessions and fees page sets out the booking choices and funding categories.

Snacks are included in sessions, families are encouraged to contribute fruit or vegetables, and children staying for lunch bring a healthy packed meal from home. The preschool publishes a nut-free policy, with milk or water offered at snack time and water accessible during sessions.

Parents are encouraged to bring a changing bag with nappies and spare clothing. Staff help with toileting and nappy changes.

• Lunch changes the booking. Adding lunch extends the morning to 1pm or starts the afternoon at noon, and carries an additional charge. Decide whether the shorter session or lunch-inclusive arrangement best fits your day.
• Communication support. Social Communication Group times, the Wellcomm toolkit and individual planning offer concrete discussion points. At a visit, ask how these would be used for your child's particular needs and shared with you.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Families supply lunch, and the preschool publishes a nut-free policy. If your child has an allergy, confirm current handling arrangements and how their individual requirements will be recorded.
• The attendance calendar. Term-time operation was recorded in February 2023. Before choosing a pattern, ask which current closure dates would affect your family's childcare arrangements.

Little Angels suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those wanting an all-day booking or a shorter session extended around lunch. The language-support tools, key-worker system and accessible physical features give parents concrete arrangements to assess. Its February 2023 Outstanding judgement adds weight to that picture, while remaining a judgement from that date.

Play-based learning, individual plans and the online journal suit families who want regular involvement in their child's development.