Great Holm Pre-School

Storytelling with puppets, house-building materials and a garden gave Great Holm Pre-School a practical character in May 2023. Children could revisit a familiar tale through making and acting, rather than listening alone. The setting has 26 places in total at its Great Holm address in Milton Keynes.

Ofsted rated the pre-school Good on 10 May 2023. Children attending then were aged two to four; the account below describes provision at that time.

In May 2023, the early years foundation stage provided the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play connecting language, practical skills and relationships. The Three Little Pigs became a hands-on activity: children used puppets and made houses from bricks, wood and straw. Retelling the tale gave them opportunities to connect remembered events with new ideas.

Smaller groups used a quieter room for language activities in May 2023. Rhymes, stories and conversations gave children different ways to practise talking; staff used repetition and eye contact when children needed additional help with interaction.

Outdoor play also mattered in May 2023. Garden development supported movement and opportunities to release energy. Local outings included visits to care-home residents, extending children's experiences beyond the pre-school. However, suitable outlets for especially energetic physical play remained an improvement priority, alongside introducing more technology and teaching children how to use devices safely.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding, rapid progress including for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, and strong support for individual needs through work with families, professionals and the local authority.

In May 2023, key persons understood their children well, and children sought physical comfort from staff. Adults helped children put feelings into words and encouraged them to resolve small disagreements themselves. This gave emotional support a practical role in everyday relationships.

Family conversations brought children's home experiences into activities in May 2023. Parents could also join the committee leading the pre-school, giving them a route to participate in its running as well as their own child's care.

The address is 87 Kensington Drive, Great Holm, Milton Keynes, MK8 9AY.

In May 2023, opening hours were 9.30am to 2.45pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. A breakfast club ran from 8.30am to 9.30am, providing an earlier start alongside the main opening window. At that time, the pre-school received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four.

• Energetic play. In May 2023, staff kept physical play safe, but suitable ways to continue that play needed development. Ask how today's activities accommodate children who need vigorous movement.
• Digital learning. Safe use of technology was a May 2023 improvement priority. Ask what device-based learning now involves.
• Attendance and costs. The May 2023 pattern combined term-time opening with a breakfast club. Before joining, ask which current attendance arrangements and funded-hours terms apply, including meals and consumables, and obtain a written quotation.

Great Holm Pre-School's May 2023 picture suits families who value practical storytelling, language support and involvement in a parent committee. Its term-time opening and breakfast-club option offered both the main daytime window and an earlier start. The strongest decision points are how those arrangements work today and how the two curriculum improvement priorities have been addressed.