Marham Village Preschool

Rabbits to care for, ice to experiment with and a kindness tree: the November 2024 picture of Marham Village Preschool combines practical discovery with learning to look after others. At its 21 November 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good overall.

The setting has 25 places in total and accepts children aged 24 to 60 months. The preschool is based in Marham at Cherry Tree Academy Marham Junior School on Hillside, PE33 9JJ.

In November 2024, children explored early writing by making marks in sand and ice, while dough cutters introduced shapes and counting became part of play. The early years foundation stage sets the framework for learning, development and care; here, these experiences connected language and early mathematics with things children could touch and investigate.

Animal care gave learning a practical purpose. Children helped feed the rabbits and clean their living space, taking responsibility for another creature. A corn snake brought into the setting prompted new vocabulary, drawings and models made from dough or paper plates.

Outside, children experimented with ice in their mud mixtures and helped construct an obstacle course for balancing practice. A large swing and other apparatus added physical challenge. Indoors, hairdresser role play gave children an imaginative way to explore familiar experiences.

Language learning in November 2024 also drew on shared books, singing and signing. These gave children different ways to communicate, alongside conversations with adults about their own experiences. The snake activity connected learning across several forms: children encountered an animal, learnt words to describe it, then represented it through drawing and modelling. That made the subject more than a vocabulary exercise.

Sensory exploration was an explicit emphasis at that visit. Ice, sand, dough and outdoor mud mixtures gave children materials to investigate while practising marks, shapes and counting. For parents, these examples show how early learning was woven into play rather than confined to a separate teaching activity.

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described curriculum adaptations that supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make progress.

In November 2024, staff gathered information from parents before children started and used their knowledge of key children to respond to individual needs. Parents received updates on development, and staff worked with families, professionals and local schools when children needed further support.

Independence was practised through ordinary routines: managing the toilet, washing hands and learning to put on hats and gloves. The kindness tree displayed photographs celebrating considerate behaviour, making positive actions visible to children. Staff supplied healthy snacks and drinks, with eating together also giving children time to socialise.

In November 2024, adults demonstrated polite behaviour and helped children share. When difficulties arose between children, staff responded promptly and constructively. Recognition on the kindness tree connected those expectations to something children could see: photographs marked acts of consideration. The emphasis was on noticing helpful behaviour as well as responding to disagreements.

Support for SEND at that visit involved adjusting curriculum aims so that children could work towards them. Developmental assessment helped staff spot where additional help was needed, while discussions with parents and other professionals connected that help to the child's wider needs. These were practical mechanisms for support, rather than simply a statement of welcome.

Leaders also organised training aimed at developing teaching practice in November 2024. New colleagues received induction and staff described support from leaders. For families, this adds context to how the adults delivering activities were supported themselves.

Opening hours are 8.30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the preschool closes for school holidays. That calendar is a central consideration for families organising care around work.

In November 2024, session times ran from 8.30am to 3pm, and the preschool provided government-funded early education for eligible children.

• Challenge for older children. In November 2024, some activities did not stretch older children sufficiently. During a visit, ask how activities now extend children who are ready for more demanding learning.
• Term-time calendar. The preschool closes during school holidays and finishes at 3pm. Families need an attendance arrangement that fits those boundaries.

Marham Village Preschool suits families seeking term-time preschool provision. Its November 2024 inspection described practical discovery and opportunities to develop everyday independence. Its November 2024 strengths included animal care, sensory exploration and relationships informed by parents. The balancing consideration is the need for more consistent challenge for older children, making the next steps in their learning a useful subject for a visit.