Springwood Preschool

A free flow garden for digging and climbing, natural materials to investigate and a large creating station give Springwood Preschool in Copnor a practical, play-led character. Children have space to try things with their hands and move their bodies. The setting operates at St. Albans Hall, 104 Copnor Road, Portsmouth, PO3 5AL, and has 44 places in total.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Springwood Good overall, found safeguarding effective and identified effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The current welcome extends to babies and children up to five years old. Opening hours are 8am to 3pm during term time, making the calendar an important part of the choice for working families.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play, conversation and exploration give children opportunities to practise emerging skills. Natural materials invite investigation, while the large creating station provides room for children to explore with staff support. Small-group activities sit alongside experiences shaped around children's interests, so the day includes both individual exploration and time with others.

Physical play has several forms. Soft play, climbing frames and balls for target practice give children different ways to move and handle equipment; musical instruments add another kind of exploration. Cooking Sessions and PE Sessions also form part of the offer. The creating station, physical equipment and natural materials give children several ways to explore through hands-on play.

In February 2024, children used everyday objects in pretend play with their peers. That gave them material for acting out their experiences and negotiating shared ideas. Dough-making also became a conversation: staff discussed ingredients, asked questions and introduced vocabulary. Books, songs and stories provided further opportunities for children to use language in different contexts.

The inspection picture was uneven across ages. At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found the curriculum better implemented for preschool children than for younger children, whose activities did not consistently match their learning needs, and identified inconsistent approaches to behaviour expectations and turn-taking. Those are concrete reservations about delivery, rather than a reason to dismiss the whole setting.

Outdoor and Community Life

The free flow garden allows outdoor play in different weather conditions, with opportunities to dig, jump, run and climb. For children who learn through movement, that is a substantial part of the experience. Outdoor activity sits alongside the indoor creating station rather than being the only place for physical exploration.

In February 2024, parents contributed stories in their home languages for children to hear together. This brought family languages into shared activities, giving children exposure to one another's backgrounds through something familiar and enjoyable. Staff also worked with families on children's use of English and their home language.

Relationships have a practical role in the day. In February 2024, staff could explain their key children's interests and next learning steps, and shared that information with families. Suggestions for activities and places to visit extended the conversation beyond what happened during attendance. Current home-learning ideas continue that link between family life and nursery play.

Care routines also offered moments for reassurance. In February 2024, staff sought children's agreement before nappy changes and used singing to comfort them. Handwashing and toileting were supported with attention to children's feelings. These examples matter because care involves close personal contact as well as teaching.

For additional needs, the current branch offer includes individual work, small-group sessions, communication and language groups, and involvement from outside agencies. In February 2024, a small calm space was used for concentrated activities, while staff, parents and other professionals worked towards shared goals. Families considering support can therefore discuss specific arrangements rather than relying on a general statement of inclusion.

The staff structure includes a manager with safeguarding lead and SENCO responsibilities, supported by deputy roles. Staff undertake first-aid and safeguarding training, and continued professional development forms part of the team's arrangements. These describe how responsibilities are organised; the dated safeguarding judgement remains the separate assessment of effectiveness.

Sessions and Attendance

Springwood opens from 8am to 3pm during term time. The address is St. Albans Hall, 104 Copnor Road, Portsmouth, PO3 5AL. Families can make enquiries by telephone or email, or use the contact form; visits can be arranged by calling. For non-urgent messages, email or leaving a telephone message allows staff to respond around their work with children.

Funding and Paid Extras

Children staying all day bring a packed lunch, and children bring their own snacks. That puts food preparation with families and makes packing part of the attendance routine.

In February 2024, Springwood provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and fees are reviewed annually or sooner following a sudden inflation rise. The fees page provides the route to its price list and fee policies.

• Younger children's learning. February 2024 activities were not consistently matched to younger children's needs. During a visit, ask how activities are now adapted for babies and younger children, with examples from their day.
• Behaviour routines. In February 2024, approaches to tidying and turn-taking varied between staff. Ask how the team now gives children consistent guidance across activities.
• Term-time attendance. The 8am to 3pm opening window suits a term-time routine. Families needing care through school holidays should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.
• The food and funding plan. Families supply lunches for all-day attendance and their children's snacks. Request a written quotation setting out the funded attendance arrangement and how non-food consumables are handled.

Springwood suits families seeking term-time childcare with hands-on play, outdoor movement and a close connection between home and children's learning. The creating station and free flow garden give that offer tangible substance, while individual and small-group support provide concrete starting points for discussing additional needs.

The February 2024 reservations deserve attention, especially for parents of younger children. A visit should establish how the curriculum and behaviour routines now work in practice. For families whose schedules fit the opening window, this is a setting with a clear play-based identity and useful examples of attentive everyday care.