Magic Moments Pre-school

Crates, tyres and child-built obstacle courses give Magic Moments Pre-school a practical, playful character in its May 2022 account of daily life. At its 17 May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good overall. Children worked together, shared ideas and stayed absorbed in activities they had chosen.

Based at The Scout Hut in Baldock, the pre-school has capacity for 24 children. In May 2022, those attending were aged two to four; that age range describes the children at that time.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play supports language, physical skills and relationships alongside other areas of learning. In May 2022, water moving through funnels and tubes gave staff opportunities to introduce vocabulary through something children could see and explore.

Worms and caterpillars brought another kind of learning. During that month, children examined creatures, discussed differences in length and learnt to handle them gently. The activity connected mathematical language with care for living things.

Books were accessible outside as well as indoors in May 2022, and children listened closely to stories. Large crates and tyres became materials for building obstacle courses, giving children a physical challenge they helped design themselves. Group activities allowed flexibility, so children could remain involved in their play.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and positive curriculum opportunities for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In May 2022, staff comforted children who needed help settling, while consistent guidance supported sharing, turn-taking and managing frustration.

Key people shared children's achievements with parents that month. Staff observed children and reviewed their development each term, using their starting points to recognise gaps in learning. However, assessment information needed to guide individual next steps more precisely.

Health learning in May 2022 included handwashing, healthy snacks and pretend medical play; discussions with older children connected exercise with heart health. Teachers also visited to meet children preparing to move on to school, making the next stage more familiar.

The address is The Scout Hut, Park Drive, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 6EN.

In May 2022, the pre-school operated on weekdays during term time, with sessions running from 9am to 3pm. It also provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds at that time. These attendance and funding details describe its arrangements in May 2022.

• Teaching challenge. In May 2022, activities did not consistently stretch the most able children, and assessments needed to produce more precise individual next steps. This matters for children ready to move beyond an activity's initial challenge.
• Staff coaching. In May 2022, supervision and coaching needed greater attention to staff performance. The issue was how consistently teaching could be strengthened across the team.
• Term-time attendance. The May 2022 pattern was weekday sessions from 9am to 3pm during term time. Would today's session arrangements fit your family's working hours and school-holiday needs?

Magic Moments merits consideration by families drawn to hands-on preschool play, outdoor exploration and contact with teachers before moving on to school. Its May 2022 picture combines attentive relationships with clear teaching improvements to address. For families whose routines centre on term-time attendance, that dated session pattern provides a useful starting point.