The Garden Pre-School

Shared stories, outdoor games and books taken home give The Garden Pre-School a recognisable character in its October 2023 account of daily life. Ofsted rated it Good on 3 October 2023 and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective.

The setting has 32 places in total, at Green Lanes School in Hatfield. In October 2023, children attending were aged two to four. That age range describes the children at the time of the visit.

In October 2023, staff planned learning around children's interests and what they could already do. The early years foundation stage sets the framework for learning, development and care: here, stories, singing, counting and physical play brought those strands into children's day.

Children had time to speak, with adults listening and asking questions to extend conversations. Requests for songs and stories shaped activities too. This gave children opportunities to contribute rather than simply follow an adult's plan.

Physical development also featured in the October 2023 account. Staff made learning opportunities accessible both inside and outdoors, recognising that children approached learning differently. Outdoor time therefore carried learning opportunities as well as physical activity. Children chose their own play and put ideas to adults, giving them a part in deciding what happened next.

Planning connected those choices with what children needed to learn. In October 2023, staff used assessment and a sequence of learning opportunities to build knowledge and skills from each child's starting point. The practical distinction is between responding to an interest and using it to take learning further.

Outdoor play included Mr Wolf, which staff joined. Children also counted those present during registration. Mathematical language needed more attention, however: counting opportunities were stronger than opportunities to develop vocabulary across the other parts of mathematics.

In October 2023, children sought cuddles and reassurance from familiar staff, including those who had recently started. Practitioners took account of individual children and their families, giving relationships a clear place in everyday care.

Communication extended beyond conversations. Parents could use an online system to follow learning and explore it further at home; borrowing books gave families another practical way to join in. Staff also used a consistent approach to behaviour, helping children understand expectations during stories and indoor play.

During stories in October 2023, children reminded one another to listen quietly. Indoors, they understood that they should walk. These were concrete expectations attached to everyday situations, giving children examples of how to take part alongside others rather than leaving behaviour rules abstract.

Support for adults formed another part of the October 2023 account. Staff had regular discussions about their responsibilities, alongside training and attention to wellbeing. Those meetings gave practitioners a place to discuss their work. Safeguarding training covered recognising possible harm and responding to concerns, including concerns about another adult. Staff knew how to escalate a concern that had not been addressed appropriately, an important distinction between noticing a problem and knowing the next step.

Meals were shared social occasions in October 2023, with adults sitting alongside children. Children washed their hands and organised their food themselves, but explanations of why handwashing and oral care matter were inconsistent.

The address is Green Lanes School, Green Lanes, Hatfield, AL10 9JY.

In October 2023, the pre-school operated Monday to Friday during term time, with sessions running from 9am to 3pm. It also provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. These are dated attendance and funding arrangements, useful for understanding the pattern operating at that point.

• Mathematical language. The October 2023 improvement priority went beyond counting to vocabulary across mathematics. This matters for children learning to explain mathematical ideas. At a visit, ask how staff now introduce and revisit mathematical words during play, building on the everyday counting described in October 2023. The useful question is how children learn to use those words themselves.
• Health habits. In October 2023, handwashing routines were established, but explanations of handwashing and oral care needed strengthening. Understanding the reason for a routine matters alongside doing it.
• Term-time attendance. The October 2023 sessions ran from 9am to 3pm during term time. At a visit, what attendance pattern would fit your family's needs now?

For families who value conversation, stories and involvement in learning at home, the October 2023 picture offers concrete reasons to consider The Garden Pre-School. Its Good judgement sits alongside two specific teaching priorities: mathematical vocabulary and understanding healthy habits. The term-time session pattern documented then is the practical starting point for weighing its fit.