3-2-5 Pre-School

Real tools, porcelain cups and wooden construction materials give play at 3-2-5 Pre-School a recognisable character. Children can choose resources for themselves, while staff build learning around the interests that emerge. This is a preschool for families who value children's choices and practical exploration, with an enclosed garden adding room for outdoor play.

Based at Burghclere Down Community Centre in Andover, the setting has capacity for 28 children aged two to five. At its 11 October 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective.

Opening hours are 9.15am to 2.15pm, Monday to Friday during term time. The attendance choices include a day spanning those hours and half-sessions, so the practical fit extends beyond one booking pattern.

Learning and Activities

EYFS provides the framework for children's learning and care, covering development through play, communication, movement and growing independence. Alongside it, In the Moment Planning shapes how staff teach here: they observe what interests a child, join the play and use that opportunity to extend learning. A child's idea becomes the starting point, rather than every child following an identical activity.

The materials make that approach tangible. Logs, measuring tapes and cable reels sit alongside real tools and cutlery; role play uses porcelain cups and food made from wood or fabric. Resources are generally displayed within children's reach, allowing them to decide what to use and how to combine it. Staff offer activities, but children are not expected to participate in every adult suggestion.

Makaton adds another way to communicate. This programme combines speech with signs and symbols, and the preschool uses it to support children's communication, including during settling. A weekly sign shared with parents gives families something specific to practise alongside their child. Families and staff can use the same communication method.

In October 2021, children explored floating and sinking with natural objects, added basil to dough and experimented with quantities through water play. They also selected books through a vote supported by their parents. These examples show how early mathematics, language and making choices could meet within ordinary play, rather than being confined to separate teaching periods.

Outdoor and Community Life

The enclosed garden is part of the free-flow arrangement. Children can move outdoors during the day, except between 11.45am and 12.45pm, when staff support lunch. That exception matters: outdoor choice is built into the day, but it pauses around a shared care routine.

Community Walks are an additional experience, taking learning beyond the setting. In November 2022, outings involved small groups exploring nearby parks, searching for wildlife and taking part in scavenger hunts.

The Preschool Library also connects learning with home. In April 2023, its borrowing box was put outside daily so children could choose a book to share with their families. The sign-out arrangement made reading something parents could join in with, rather than an experience confined to preschool.

Relationships and Communication

A key person helps a child settle, gets to know their interests and supports communication with parents. Home visits let families discuss likes, dislikes and strengths before attendance begins. If a child remains distressed after staff have tried reassurance and engaging play, parents receive a call to discuss what should happen next. That gives families a clear role in the response.

Tapestry is the online learning journal connecting preschool experiences with home. Parents can view photographs and learning records, add comments and upload their own pictures. Those contributions give staff material for conversations about a child's weekend or experiences outside preschool, helping the key person see more than the child does during attendance.

Communication has also been adjusted over time. In February 2023, weekly photo diaries replaced written observation uploads, while termly reports and next steps continued. This change was intended to reduce time spent on tablets and give staff more time with children. Parents could ask the key person for more detail about a photograph, keeping the image a starting point for discussion rather than the whole account of learning.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SENDCO coordinates referrals and further support, and is available to discuss concerns about development or behaviour. A co-manager holds a Level 5 early years qualification. Families have a specific role to turn to with developmental concerns.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator worked effectively with families and other agencies, that children with SEND participated fully, and that distractions sometimes reduced children's attention during language groups. The same visit identified excessive waiting around snack time, which interrupted play. Both concerns deserve attention alongside the positive judgement.

Quiet space is concrete here. The book corner has a tent, blankets and cushions, while puppets and books about feelings support conversations about choices and emotions. Steps and manageable taps help children use toilet facilities independently, with an adult available when assistance is needed. Independence is supported through the environment as well as encouragement.

Children bring packed lunches, while the preschool supplies snacks such as vegetables, fruit or crackers; its lunchbox policy excludes nuts, sweets and fizzy drinks. Allergy arrangements include a health plan discussed during the home visit and a staff member sitting with children who have severe allergies at mealtimes.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Burghclere Down Community Centre, Berry Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3RZ. Opening runs from 9.15am to 2.15pm on weekdays in term time, with school holidays outside the attendance calendar. This makes the setting a practical option for families whose childcare needs follow term dates and finish in the early afternoon.

Day sessions start at 9.15am and finish at 2.15pm, with half-sessions also offered. The lunchtime arrangements additionally accommodate children who leave at 12.15pm: they are advised to bring a small lunch because eating begins at noon. Families choosing a shorter attendance pattern therefore need to consider the lunchtime experience as well as collection time.

Enquiries can be made by telephone or email. Uniform is recommended rather than compulsory, leaving families a choice about using preschool clothing for messy play.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered on a term-time basis. The entitlements include 15 hours from the term after a child's third birthday, two-year funding for qualifying working families or disadvantaged children from the term after they turn two, and 30-hour funding for eligible three-year-olds from the term after their third birthday. Eligibility conditions still apply; these are not promises that every family qualifies.

Private childcare is also offered, with payment monthly in advance. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation. Parents provide lunch, nappies and sun cream applied before attendance; staff supply wipes, and staff application of sun cream is reserved for special or medical circumstances. These practical responsibilities belong alongside the attendance choice when families plan what to pack and prepare.

In April 2023, school preparation included phonics and school-uniform role play, with visits from future teachers and visits to new schools planned for the summer term. These transition activities supported familiarity with school, rather than an admissions advantage.

• An early afternoon finish. Term-time opening ends at 2.15pm, and half-sessions are another option. Discuss which attendance pattern fits your child and how a shorter day works around lunch.
• Language groups and snack time. In October 2021, distractions affected concentration and waiting disrupted play. During a visit, ask how group activities and snack are organised now.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Lunch comes from home, and the preschool excludes nut products. Families managing allergies should confirm the current health plan and mealtime arrangements before their child starts.
• Children choosing their play. Accessible resources and In the Moment Planning put children's interests first. Ask to see how staff extend an activity and recognise the learning within it.

3-2-5 Pre-School suits families seeking term-time day sessions or half-sessions, and parents who want a child-led approach supported by practical materials and communication with a key person. Makaton, accessible resources and the enclosed garden give that approach substance. The early finish is a decisive practical consideration, while the October 2021 language-group and snack-time concerns provide useful questions for a visit. Its appeal is clear: children have choices, and adults use those choices as opportunities to teach.