Great Haywood Under 5s CIO

Butterfly cocoons, magnetic shapes and experiments with real herbs give Great Haywood Under 5s CIO a recognisable character in June 2022: practical exploration with plenty for children to discuss. Ofsted rated the setting Outstanding on 20 June 2022, finding purposeful teaching that adapted to children's interests and individual needs.

The pre-school has 15 places in total. Children attending in June 2022 were aged two to four; that age range describes the children at that visit rather than today's intake.

In June 2022, children investigated butterflies and built their own cocoon structures from magnetic shapes. These activities brought together observation, construction and conversation, giving children reasons to explain their ideas rather than simply complete a task.

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the June 2022 examples show what that meant in practice: children choosing activities, exploring materials and developing language through play.

Outdoor experiences in June 2022 included preparing for sports day with an egg-and-spoon race, mixing herbs into pretend soup and using a checklist to identify insects. Physical play and close observation sat alongside each other. Pipettes, lemons and limes supplied another sensory experiment, while colour mixing prompted children to explain what happened.

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding, strong support for children with additional needs through collaboration between the special educational needs coordinator, parents and external agencies, and rapid progress including for children with SEND.

In June 2022, settling followed each child's pace, with reassurance from adults helping new children build relationships. Staff used observations of their key children to plan next steps and identify learning gaps. Parents received information about progress and what their children would work on next, connecting nursery activities with family understanding.

The same month's account describes adults listening to children's views about their pre-school and children inviting others into play. Relationships were part of the learning experience, alongside the materials and activities.

The address is Anson C E (A) Primary School, Main Road, Great Haywood, Stafford, ST18 0SU.

In June 2022, attendance was term-time only, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays, with sessions running from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four at that time. These are dated attendance and funding arrangements.

• Attendance pattern. The June 2022 arrangement followed school terms and excluded bank holidays. What sessions and holiday arrangements would apply to your child's booking now?
• Settling pace. In June 2022, new children settled at their own pace with adult reassurance. That individual approach is a relevant point for families whose child needs time to build trust.
• Learning through exploration. June 2022 activities involved construction, sensory experiments and outdoor observation. Families seeking practical, play-based learning have concrete examples to weigh here.

The strongest case for Great Haywood Under 5s CIO comes from its June 2022 combination of purposeful play, individual settling and close parent communication. It suits families who value hands-on exploration and adults who use children's interests to shape activities. Its term-time session pattern in June 2022 also makes it relevant to families organising care around school terms, while the dated judgement should remain distinct from a claim about today's daily practice.