Little Fishes Pre-School, Brackley

An apple tree, a water butt and a mud kitchen give Little Fishes Pre-School, Brackley a concrete outdoor story. In December 2023, children watered the tree themselves and used herbs in imaginative cooking: practical experiences that connected play with the natural world.

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that staff used assessments to address learning needs, including those of children with SEND and children learning English as an additional language. There are 30 places in total; the children attending that inspection were aged two to four.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, the December 2023 examples included counting during everyday activities, stories and imaginative play. Mathematics ran through routines rather than being confined to a separate activity.

In December 2023, children selected cards bearing their names, giving them practice in recognising written words. Adults introduced vocabulary during play, while songs and regular storytelling supported early language. The improvement needed was pace: questions sometimes followed each other too quickly for children to think through an answer.

Outdoor play that month included exploring frost and helping remove ice from a slide. A pestle and mortar gave children a way to crush herbs and petals for pretend meals. These were hands-on encounters with texture, movement and changing weather.

In December 2023, adults discussed feelings, sharing and taking turns with children. Children practised washing their hands, preparing snacks and clearing their plates. However, adults sometimes stepped in with coats and zips before children had enough opportunity to try independently.

Communication that month included conversations at handover and meetings about children's development. A borrowing box extended learning into the home, and termly meetings brought parents together with the manager and committee. Those arrangements gave families both everyday contact and a more organised opportunity to contribute.

The address is Brackley Baptist Church, Waynflete Close, Brackley, NN13 6AE.

In December 2023, attendance was term-time only, with sessions running from 9am to 3.30pm on Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 12.45pm on Friday. Funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds at that time. These are dated attendance and funding arrangements.

• Time to think. In December 2023, adults sometimes moved between questions too quickly. On a visit, look for pauses that let children form their own answers.
• Everyday independence. Help with coats and zips sometimes came too soon in December 2023. Look for opportunities for children to attempt manageable tasks before an adult intervenes.
• Term-time planning. The December 2023 pattern combined longer Monday-to-Thursday sessions with a shorter Friday. What attendance and funded-hours arrangements would apply to your child now?

Little Fishes suits parents drawn to practical outdoor play and everyday opportunities to develop language and number skills. The December 2023 attendance pattern served both longer term-time days and a shorter Friday session. The two improvement points are useful tests of daily practice: enough thinking time, and enough space to try independently.