Paint Pots Nursery and Pre-School, Boldre

A bespoke yurt, surrounding woodland and a primary-school setting give Paint Pots Boldre a clear identity. This is a small preschool with 24 places in total for children aged two to five, sharing a site with William Gilpin Church of England Primary School. Nature and the connection with school are central to its character, rather than incidental features of the address.

Ofsted rated the setting Outstanding at its 22 January 2025 inspection, with examples of children solving problems together, developing language through play and learning about wildlife. The detail matters more than the label: children were encouraged to make decisions, explain their thinking and help younger friends. That gives families a concrete picture of the education behind the judgement.

Term-time opening makes this a preschool to consider alongside the school calendar. Its rural surroundings and small overall capacity are the strongest practical features for families seeking an alternative to a larger nursery building.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build language, physical skills and social understanding through play and interaction. At Boldre, the January 2025 examples show how ordinary materials became opportunities to investigate. Play dough was used for weighing and comparing, while cards for friends gave children a reason to experiment with writing.

In January 2025, staff introduced scales during play and explained their purpose. Children compared portions of dough; older children explored what a balanced scale meant. Mathematics therefore had an immediate use, with children handling materials and testing an idea rather than simply hearing an explanation.

Early literacy followed a similarly practical route that month. Pictures were paired with writing, adults drew attention to letters and sounds, and children made messages for one another. The connection between spoken language and written marks was made visible. Writing had a recipient and a purpose.

Conversation also travelled between activities. In January 2025, adults introduced words for the texture of a pear, then returned to that vocabulary during dough play. Older children explored words for parts of the body. Reusing language in another context gave children another opportunity to understand and try it, rather than treating vocabulary as a one-off lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

Woodland surrounds the yurt, putting insects and nature close to the preschool.

In January 2025, an outdoor stage became a construction problem. After moving its steps, children considered how younger friends could reach it, then carried wooden planks to make a crossing. The activity brought cooperation and practical thinking together. Children had to consider someone else's needs as well as whether their construction would work.

Seasonal learning that month included investigating what birds could eat in winter and making feeders to hang on a fence. Books, binoculars and a toy camera extended the activity. These resources connected an outdoor observation with further exploration, giving children several ways to follow the same interest.

Physical activity was equally hands-on in January 2025: climbing, carrying wood and shifting logs to search for insects. Fine hand movements were practised with tools including hole-punchers and staplers. The examples show both whole-body movement and careful manipulation, rather than an outdoor day defined solely by running around.

Confidence and understanding emotions are explicit priorities at Boldre. Activities help children consider their own feelings and those of other people, making emotional development part of the preschool day rather than a separate topic.

At the January 2025 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, developing strong communication skills through staff interaction. This is a dated judgement about practice, with language support demonstrated through conversation and repeated opportunities to use new words.

In January 2025, children also explored everyday safety with adults. A misplaced coat or tipped chair prompted discussion about the risk and how to put it right. Children helped remove the hazard. The practical value is learning to recognise a problem and take an appropriate action, alongside adult supervision.

Parent involvement that month included stay-and-play sessions, allowing families to take part in preschool experiences and understand activities they could continue at home. This was a direct connection between the child's day and family life, rather than communication limited to a brief account of what had happened.

The school connection had a social purpose in January 2025 too. Coordinated playtimes allowed children to spend time with older siblings and friends, while becoming familiar with school routines and surroundings. Familiar faces offered continuity as children encountered a different educational environment.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, during term time, and closes for school holidays. That calendar matters for working arrangements: families need to fit the preschool year around any care they require during holiday periods.

Enquiries can be made through the Boldre contact form, by telephone or using its express-interest route. The preschool's address is Pilley Hill, Boldre, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 5QG, on the William Gilpin Church of England Primary School site.

Funding and Moving On

In January 2025, the setting received government funding for eligible children. Eligibility remains a condition of funded childcare. Families budgeting for attendance should obtain a current written quotation from the nursery.

Sharing school grounds can help children become familiar with school life, but attending this preschool does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process. The coordinated playtimes described in January 2025 were transition support, not an admissions advantage.

• The yurt and outdoor day. Woodland and a bespoke yurt define this preschool's setting. During a visit, ask how outdoor exploration and quieter indoor time fit together for your child's needs.
• The school calendar. Opening is term time only, with closure during school holidays. Consider how that pattern fits your family's annual care arrangements.
• Familiarity with school. The preschool shares grounds with William Gilpin Church of England Primary School. This gives the school connection practical value, but families must make a separate Reception application.

Paint Pots Boldre suits families seeking term-time preschool for a child aged two to five, with nature close by and a small setting overall. The yurt gives it character; the January 2025 examples give that character educational substance, from weighing dough to constructing a crossing for younger friends.

The clearest fit is a family that values practical exploration and the social connection with the on-site primary school, and whose care arrangements work with school-holiday closures. School familiarity is a benefit to consider separately from the Reception admissions decision.