Stanground St. John's Pre-school

Rose petals, scented tea and dough gave children plenty to investigate at Stanground St. John's Pre-school in March 2022. The detail matters: learning involved experimenting with materials, explaining ideas and trying again when a construction failed.

Ofsted rated the pre-school Outstanding on 1 March 2022. It has 25 places in total, at 31A Chapel Street in Stanground, Peterborough. Children attending in March 2022 were aged two to four; that age range describes the children at that time.

In March 2022, younger children worked dough with their hands, while older children added rosemary and leaves and talked about their creations. These activities brought hand control and conversation together. Building with wooden towers, beams and ball chutes also gave children problems to solve: unsuccessful designs prompted another attempt.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, play supports language, physical skills and early understanding of letters and numbers. In March 2022, children practised counting objects, explored letter sounds and used paintbrushes with increasing control; older children also wrote their names.

Books extended beyond story time. In March 2022, staff used familiar stories and rhymes to develop imaginative play, and a wooden tepee provided shelter for outdoor reading. That made books part of the outdoor experience as well as indoor activity.

At its March 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, strong emotional support through close relationships with key people, and effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through family collaboration, achievable targets and adapted activities.

In March 2022, staff shaped teaching around individual interests and needs, adjusting their responses as children played. Support for sharing and turn-taking included clear boundaries and prompt responses to difficulties. The emphasis was on helping children manage feelings as well as behaviour.

Communication also had practical substance in March 2022: families could borrow story sacks with props and themed learning bags. Exchanges between staff and parents covered children's development and care, connecting experiences at home with those at the pre-school.

The address is 31A Chapel Street, Stanground, Peterborough, PE2 8JG. Its whole-setting capacity of 25 places should not be read as the size of an individual group.

In March 2022, attendance ran during school terms, Monday to Friday, with sessions from 9am to 3pm. Funded early education was offered for children aged two, three and four at that time. These are dated attendance and funding arrangements.

• Term-time planning. March 2022 sessions ran from 9am to 3pm during school terms. Does the current attendance and funding arrangement fit your family's weekly routine and holiday needs?
• Hands-on learning. March 2022 activities included dough, natural materials and experimental construction. This approach suits families who value practical exploration alongside early letters and numbers.

The March 2022 picture suits families seeking play-led preschool learning, with books, conversation and practical problem-solving woven through the day. Close relationships and individual adaptations were substantial strengths of that dated assessment. Its term-time session pattern is the practical consideration to weigh alongside that educational character.