Titchmarsh Pre School

Herbs pressed into play dough, chalk drawings outdoors and children helping one another with coat zips give Titchmarsh Pre School its character: everyday experiences become opportunities to practise useful skills. These examples come from December 2024. The setting has capacity for 26 children at The Clubroom in Titchmarsh.

At its 11 December 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good, judged the education good and found safeguarding effective. Children attending that visit were aged two to four; this is a preschool picture rather than an account of baby care.

In December 2024, children chose activities that interested them, while staff built learning around those interests. Play dough with herbs gave small hands something to manipulate. Outdoors, climbing equipment offered practice in balance, while chalk drawings prompted counting and conversations about patterns. Learning moved between physical activity, imaginative play and early mathematics.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the December 2024 examples show how play could bring those elements together: a conversation about pretend money introduced descriptive words, and a shared story encouraged children to listen and contribute.

Independence also had practical expression that December. Children used their own coat pegs, marked themselves present and helped with zips. These were manageable tasks through which they could take responsibility for parts of their day.

At the December 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, progressed well, with staff identifying learning needs, working with families and professionals, making referrals and using targeted plans and additional funding.

During that December, relationships with key persons supported children's emotional security. Staff encouraged children to attempt tasks themselves before stepping in to help. At snack and lunch, children practised pouring drinks and serving food, extending that independence into mealtimes.

Behaviour routines were concrete too. In December 2024, staff reminded children about sharing and taking turns, and children followed familiar routines. Staff development included supervision meetings to identify training needs and opportunities to share learning with colleagues.

The address is The Clubroom, 19 High Street, Titchmarsh, KETTERING, NN14 3DF.

In December 2024, the preschool operated on weekdays during term time, with sessions running from 9am to 3pm. It also provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Those arrangements describe the inspection period and give families a useful starting point for considering attendance.

• Language support. In December 2024, staff sometimes missed opportunities to extend children's developing language during conversation. Consistency in everyday interactions matters alongside planned stories and activities.
• Healthy choices. The December 2024 improvement priorities included giving every child opportunities to learn about healthy food choices. Practising self-service and understanding nutrition are separate skills.
• Attendance fit. The December 2024 pattern was term-time weekday care between 9am and 3pm. At a visit, ask how current attendance arrangements and funded hours would fit your family's schedule.

Titchmarsh suits families who value practical independence and learning through ordinary play. Its December 2024 examples are tangible: children worked with dough, climbed outdoors and took responsibility for small daily tasks. The Good judgement provides a dated quality benchmark, balanced by clear priorities around language interactions and healthy choices.