Broughton Pre-School

Playing fields are part of the learning space at Broughton Pre-School, rather than simply the view. A large fenced outdoor area gives children space for everyday play, while the surrounding grounds support nature walks, park visits and sporting activities. This is a practical, outdoors-led setting with parents involved in both its daily life and its management.

Based at King George V Playing Fields in Broughton, Preston, it has 33 places for children aged two to five. A committee of volunteer parents runs the charitable organisation, with responsibilities that include fundraising, supporting staff and overseeing the setting. That gives families a route to contribute beyond their own child's attendance.

At its January 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged all six assessed areas to be at the strong standard and safeguarding standards to be met. The practical offer combines morning and afternoon sessions with full-day attendance and extensions at either end of the day, during term time.

Rooms and Ages

Low shelving puts resources within children's reach, and furniture can be moved to make more space when needed. Photographic labels help children choose materials and return them afterwards.

A named coat peg and a drawer marked with the child's photograph provide somewhere recognisable for belongings and creations. Finding and displaying their name on the registration board is also part of the routine. These are small, concrete opportunities to practise independence, rather than leaving adults to organise everything for them.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning through play, with communication, physical development and personal, social and emotional development among its areas of learning. Some activities are led by adults; others allow children to decide how to use the materials. Observations of children's interests shape the activities and equipment, so planning has a direct connection to what engages them.

Morning free choice leads into chat time at 9.30am, when key groups exchange news and discuss their plans. Activities are normally offered again during the week, giving children attending different sessions another opportunity to join in. Music and a story bring children together at 11.20am, before lunch.

In January 2026, small-group talk time gave children opportunities to practise speaking, and participation in the mathematics champion programme had developed staff knowledge of early maths. Everyday play supplied the context: children used vocabulary while pretending to sell ice cream, built with wooden blocks and explored writing their names. Language and number work were woven into play rather than confined to a separate lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School informs learning through direct experience outdoors. With parental permission, children explore beyond the enclosed area into the playing fields and the field beyond, using these spaces for den building, picnics and learning about seasons. Waterproof suits and wellingtons are provided for wet weather, helping outdoor activity remain part of the routine when conditions change.

Outings connect with themes and projects being explored at pre-school, taking children's investigations beyond the setting.

Relationships and Communication

Every child is allocated a key person who handles settling, observations, records and attention to their developmental needs. A nominated deputy takes responsibility when that practitioner is absent. Staff agree the settling approach with parents, giving the family a part in deciding how the child becomes familiar with pre-school.

Learning journey books combine observations and photographs with contributions from home. Parents share what their children enjoy and how they are developing outside the setting; assessments also mark changes such as moving group or preparing for school. This gives practitioners information that a session alone cannot supply.

Family participation extends beyond progress discussions. Parents can help during sessions or share their interests and skills, with past contributions including clarinet playing and a collection of shells. They can also help care for equipment or take part in management and community activities. Participation is encouraged when parents wish to help, rather than presented as a condition of attendance.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SENCO works with key people on targeted learning plans, breaking development into manageable steps and reviewing what happens next. The Ferre Laevers assessment scheme monitors wellbeing and involvement to help identify children needing additional attention; WELLCOM assesses speaking and understanding and supports language development through play. These provide specific ways to identify needs and plan a response.

Practical access measures include a ramp, a wide entrance, an accessible toilet and movable furniture. Visual prompts can help children understand the day's routines, while links with speech and language services, health visitors and IDSS teachers bring other professionals into planning. Support therefore includes changes to both activities and the physical environment.

At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND made substantial progress from their starting points, supported by adapted activities, close work with parents and specialist involvement, while identifying the next step as sustaining improvement and increasing the impact for children facing barriers to learning or wellbeing. That is a positive assessment with a continuing development priority, rather than a reason to treat support as finished work.

Staff hold childcare qualifications at level three or above, and designated safeguarding lead and deputy roles are in place alongside paediatric first-aid training. For moving on, with parental permission, the pre-school can share a child's learning profile with the next setting and invite its practitioners to meet the child in familiar surroundings.

Sessions and Attendance

Term-time attendance can combine individual sessions or use a full-day pattern. Opening hours are 7.45am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, with closure during school holidays. Breakfast runs from 7.45am to 9am, the morning session from 9am to 11.30am, lunch from 11.30am to 12.30pm, the afternoon session from 12.30pm to 3pm and after-school care from 3pm to 5.30pm.

Families can combine these sessions to fit their needs. Two sessions each week are recommended, rather than imposed as a minimum booking requirement. An admission form is required, and enquiries can be made by telephone on 01772 860834 or by email at enquiries@broughtonpreschool.co.uk.

Getting There

The address is The Pavilion, King George V Playing Fields, Broughton, Preston, PR3 5JA. Parking is beside Maidenhead Aquatics, with the pre-school on the adjacent playing fields; a wide path connects the nearby car park with the building and accommodates wheelchairs and prams.

Funding and Paid Extras

Universal Funding covers 15 hours each week from the term after a child's third birthday; Extended Hours and funding for two-year-olds depend on eligibility criteria. Paid sessions are also offered, and families should obtain current prices in a written quotation covering their chosen combination of attendance and funding.

Children bring a packed lunch, while the setting supplies snacks such as fruit, crackers and crumpets, with milk or water and drinking water accessible during the day. Labelled food can be refrigerated, and facilities are available to warm food.

Parents supply sun cream and suitable outdoor clothing, including sunhats in summer and warm or waterproof clothing in winter. These are practical preparations for an outdoor routine, alongside the setting's waterproof suits and wellingtons.

• School-holiday cover. Attendance is term-time only, with school-holiday closure. Families needing care across the year will need to plan separately for those periods.
• Outdoor preparation. Exploration extends beyond the fenced area with parental permission. Discuss how outings and outdoor routines would be adapted to your child's needs, and plan for the clothing and sun cream parents provide.
• Additional support. Targeted plans, visual prompts and professional links give families concrete support mechanisms to discuss. Ask how the SENCO and key person would agree initial priorities with you and review progress against them.

Broughton suits families seeking morning or afternoon attendance as well as those combining sessions into a full day with breakfast or after-school care. Its strongest practical appeal is the connection between play, the surrounding fields and family involvement: outdoor exploration has a clear place in the day, and parents can contribute to learning and management.

The January 2026 assessment supports that appeal, while the continuing priority for children facing barriers deserves attention in individual support discussions. Term-time closure is the main scheduling consideration. For families whose schedules match that pattern, this is a pre-school with a clear outdoor character and concrete ways to involve parents in their child's development.