Doodles preschool

Straw, sticks and bricks brought The Three Little Pigs to life at Doodles preschool in January 2024. That practical approach to storytelling gives a useful picture of this small preschool at Dorridge Methodist Church in Bentley Heath: learning through play, with everyday experiences turned into opportunities for conversation.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its January 2024 inspection and judged safeguarding effective. There were also two clear teaching priorities: giving children longer to voice their ideas and allowing them to manage more tasks independently. Both matter in a preschool where confidence and preparation for school are central aims.

Doodles has capacity for 26 children. Children can join from the term following their second birthday, making the starting point dependent on the term rather than the birthday alone.

Play and hands-on exploration shape the approach. The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care; here, play creates opportunities to practise language, investigate materials and become more independent. The emphasis is on a gentle introduction to school routines, alongside curiosity and confidence.

In January 2024, storytelling involved handling straw, sticks and bricks while listening to The Three Little Pigs. A balloon illustrated the wolf's blowing. Children remembered the sequence and anticipated what would happen next, connecting the story to objects they could examine rather than simply listening to the words.

A doll's house offered another route into conversation that January. Children explored furniture placement and the purpose of different rooms, while staff linked the play to household routines and the people children lived with. Familiar experiences supplied the subject matter. Imaginative play became a way to discuss children's own lives.

Adults used questions with several possible answers during play in January 2024. However, they sometimes supplied suggestions before children had enough thinking time. The practical distinction is between an adult keeping a conversation moving and a child having space to develop an answer. More patient pauses were one of the improvements required.

Relationships receive attention alongside learning. In January 2024, staff showed interest in children's lives beyond preschool and used that knowledge in their interactions. This gives conversations a personal starting point, rather than relying solely on the activity in front of them.

At the January 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that regular developmental assessment and targeted plans supported good progress. Staff identified skills needing further attention and used those assessments to shape children's next learning steps. The useful mechanism is the link between observing a child and adjusting what happens next.

Independence was less consistent that January. Children were encouraged to manage clothing and personal care, but adults sometimes completed tasks children could attempt themselves. Nose-wiping illustrated the difference: some staff took over, while others offered a tissue. For families, the teaching priority concerns ordinary moments as much as planned activities.

Staff briefings before sessions in January 2024 covered planned experiences and useful observations to make. This connected preparation with what adults would look for during children's play.

Doodles preschool is based at Dorridge Methodist Church, 103 Mill Lane, Bentley Heath, Solihull, B93 8NY. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 07598435957 or by email at hello@doodlespreschool.co.uk.

Sessions and Attendance

In January 2024, attendance followed a term-time morning pattern: sessions ran from 9.15am to 12.15pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. This was a short-session model, with preschool occupying part of the day rather than the whole working day. That dated timetable gives context to the setting's sessional character.

Funding and Paid Extras

Doodles accepts childcare vouchers, funding and tax-free allowance. In January 2024, it could provide funded early education for children aged two, three and four. The age for joining remains a separate consideration: entry starts in the term after a child turns two.

• Time to think. In January 2024, adults sometimes answered too quickly for children. During a visit, look for how practitioners pause after a question and encourage a child's own response.
• Everyday independence. The January 2024 improvement priorities included letting children tackle more tasks themselves. Look at how adults support coats, shoes and personal care while leaving children room to try.
• A term-based start. Children join from the term after their second birthday. How would the current attendance pattern fit your childcare arrangements and intended starting term?

Doodles suits families seeking a play-led introduction to preschool routines from the term after age two. Its January 2024 morning-session pattern would suit families combining preschool with care elsewhere during the day. Practical storytelling and familiar household play give substance to its approach; the equally practical test is whether adults now consistently allow children enough thinking time and independence.