Over New Road Preschool CIC

Choosing toys, pouring drinks and managing a turn with a sand timer: independence was a clear thread through daily life here in January 2025. Over New Road Preschool CIC has 22 places in total for children aged 24 to 60 months, at Over Baptist Church in Over.

At its January 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good and found safeguarding effective. The practical picture was of children taking responsibility for small tasks, alongside teaching that needed sharper responses when attention drifted.

In January 2025, learning combined themed activities with children's choices about their play. The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, the curriculum emphasised skills for the next stage of learning, with opportunities to practise independence.

Pretend police figures prompted imaginative emergency scenarios, while counting pom-poms gave mathematics a concrete purpose. Children selected their own toy boxes rather than waiting for adults to make every choice. These examples show how play and everyday tasks worked together.

The garden provided another setting for exploration. In January 2025, children rode tricycles, played with balls and mixed leaves with mud in pretend cooking. Physical activity and imaginative play shared the same outdoor space.

There were limits to engagement. During January 2025, staff sometimes let children's attention drift during self-chosen play rather than adjusting their teaching. Some adult-led groups were also too large for everyone to participate fully. The issue was how activities were organised and supported, rather than a shortage of things to do.

At the January 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support through early help, targets agreed with parents and professionals, and that children made progress from their individual starting points.

In January 2025, conversations with parents informed the staff team's understanding of children's needs. An app and daily discussions kept families informed about learning, while visits and information sharing with other settings supported consistency for children attending more than one provider.

Staff also helped children handle disagreements and take turns. A sand timer made waiting tangible. However, in January 2025, staff did not always manage noise well enough or consider its possible effect on communication and language development, especially for younger children and children learning English as an additional language.

The address is Over Baptist Church, New Road, Over, Cambridge, CB24 5PJ. The preschool operates during term time and closes for school holidays.

In January 2025, opening hours were 9am to 3pm on weekdays other than Tuesday, when it was closed. At that time, it provided funded early education for eligible children.

• Engagement during play. January 2025 findings called for staff to adapt teaching sooner when concentration faded. On a visit, ask how practitioners now respond to this.
• Noise and group activities. Reducing noise and improving adult-led activity organisation were January 2025 priorities. These matter especially for children who need quieter communication or more help joining in.

Over New Road Preschool CIC suits families seeking term-time preschool care, with an emphasis on independence and learning through play evident in January 2025. The Good judgement provides a positive foundation; the practical points to weigh are noise, sustained attention and participation in group activities.