Chapelbreak Pre-School

In April 2024, tambourine-led routines, story votes and robots built from planks combined shared activities with opportunities for children to make decisions and test ideas. Chapelbreak Pre-School's home is Chapelbreak Village Hall in Bowthorpe, Norwich.

At its April 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying that staff needed deeper understanding of how to put the curriculum into practice. Children attending at that time were aged two to four.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, connecting play with skills such as communication, movement and independence.

In April 2024, children gathered on cushions after a tambourine signal, shared their news and practised counting. Storytelling also gave them a say: they voted for favourite books and spent time looking through books independently. These activities combined listening with opportunities to express preferences.

Physical and creative experiences had different demands. During that April visit, younger children used wheeled toys, while older children took part in yoga and morning exercise, noticing changes in their heartbeat. Planks and guttering became robot-building materials, with children discussing designs and choosing resources together. The task gave their ideas a practical test.

The April 2024 book activities involved more than choosing a story. Staff made their readings engaging and used them to extend children's understanding and vocabulary. Children also explored books on their own. Together, these experiences gave them both adult guidance and time to follow their own interests, rather than making every encounter with a book a group activity.

Exercise during that visit also included attention to breathing. Children demonstrated a candle-blowing technique as part of mindfulness practice, linking physical activity with a way to regulate their breath. Younger children drew pictures and showed their work to staff, while the older children's construction tasks required discussion and agreement. The creative opportunities therefore included individual expression as well as making something together.

During April 2024 group routines, children listened to one another and waited before speaking. Sharing popular toys gave them another opportunity to practise taking turns. These small exchanges made social learning part of ordinary play: a child's own choice mattered, but so did another child's chance to contribute.

In April 2024, a key-person arrangement and familiar routines helped children settle; staff used gentle exchanges and celebrated children's achievements. Independence was practised through everyday tasks, including feeding themselves, spreading butter and pouring drinks at snack time.

At the April 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support through individual sessions, timely referrals and work with other professionals. Staff also responded to the signals of children who did not communicate verbally.

Home learning had a practical link in April 2024: families could borrow bags containing books and activities. This gave parents materials to use together with their children beyond the pre-school day.

The April 2024 independence activities were small enough for children to attempt themselves. Younger children managed their own eating, while older children handled butter and drinks at snack time. These were everyday opportunities to practise self-care, with a clear purpose for the child. Independence was part of the routine, rather than confined to a separate learning activity.

Encouragement also travelled between children during that visit. They applauded one another's achievements and repeated the positive language they heard adults use. Staff praise therefore had a social dimension: children experienced recognition themselves and practised giving it to someone else. Friendships were visible in children holding hands while exploring, adding companionship to their play.

For children needing additional support in April 2024, the individual sessions sat alongside referrals and collaboration with other professionals. Attention to non-verbal signals was another concrete part of that support. The combination matters because help involved both responding to a child during the day and arranging additional input, rather than relying on a single activity or intervention.

Chapelbreak Pre-School is at Chapelbreak Village Hall, Bowthorpe, Norwich, NR5 9LG.

In April 2024, it operated on weekdays during term time, with sessions running from 8.50am until 3pm. It provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four at that date. These attendance and funding details describe that period.

• Term-time attendance. The April 2024 session ran from 8.50am to 3pm on weekdays during term time. What attendance pattern would apply to your child now?
• Curriculum delivery. In April 2024, staff development arrangements needed further work so that curriculum intentions translated consistently into practice. Discuss how staff training now supports the activities your child would experience.

For families considering a pre-school centred on shared routines, books and practical independence, Chapelbreak merits consideration. Its April 2024 day combined child-led choices with adult-led activities, and the term-time session provided a defined attendance pattern. The curriculum implementation concern belongs alongside those strengths when weighing the setting.