St John's Preschool Worthing

Play dough, weighing scales and questions about germs gave learning a practical character at St John's Preschool Worthing in March 2025. Children pursued their own ideas, while staff introduced tools and conversations that took those interests further. Everyday play became an opportunity to investigate.

Ofsted rated the preschool Outstanding on 3 March 2025 and found safeguarding effective. Based on Ripley Road in Worthing, it has 26 places in total and accepts children aged 24 to 60 months. Its opening hours are 8.30am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the March 2025 examples show children learning through practical play and conversation. Staff added weighing scales to play dough activities, introducing measurement through an interest children were already pursuing. A discussion about germs prompted an experiment with a curiosity box, giving children something to observe over time rather than an immediate answer.

Environmental learning also had physical resources behind it. In March 2025, children separated different plastics at a recycling station and put food scraps into a compost bin for growing seeds. These tasks connected looking after the environment with actions children could take themselves.

Beyond the setting, regular visits to a local nursing home included ballet and parachute activities with residents in March 2025. Meeting another generation brought community life into the curriculum. The preschool operated from St John's Hall at that time.

At its March 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND received highly effective support and made strong progress, with signing training, professional collaboration and additional funding helping staff meet individual needs. Communication tools included visual cues and language boards, allowing staff to support interaction in more than one way.

Emotional regulation had a concrete routine in March 2025. Snake breathing involved taking a deep breath and releasing it with a hiss; movement activities included balancing and star jumps. Children practised actions they could use to settle themselves.

Independence was equally practical. In March 2025, children set up snack time, cut fruit and helped themselves to drinks, with staff monitoring dietary needs. Parents could join pop in and play sessions, spending time alongside their children, while video calls provided another way to discuss learning and progress.

In March 2025, manners were taught through everyday exchanges. Adults thanked children for their help and prompted polite requests at snack time; children then used that language themselves. Praise recognised kindness, and children welcomed friends warmly. For parents, these examples show how social learning fitted into ordinary routines, with adults modelling the behaviour they wanted children to practise rather than leaving courtesy to chance.

Staff support also formed part of the March 2025 picture. Leaders provided supervision and regular communication, alongside specialist training that gave practitioners additional techniques for their work with children. This matters because the signing and calming activities described above depended on adults learning specific ways to support communication and emotions, rather than simply encouraging children to join in.

School preparation in March 2025 included managing everyday needs. Children followed the snack routine, washed their hands and collected their own cups and plates. These were practical opportunities to rehearse self-care before starting school, with staff overseeing the activity.

Ripley Road, Worthing, BN11 5NQ is the preschool's address. Opening hours run from 8.30am until 2.30pm on weekdays, with attendance during term time and closure in school holidays. The early afternoon finish is a significant part of the childcare arrangement for working families.

In March 2025, the preschool accepted early years funding for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds and received additional funding for disadvantaged children. Eligibility matters: participation in funding does not itself establish an individual child's entitlement.

• Early afternoon finish. The preschool closes at 2.30pm and operates during term time. Families need a childcare arrangement that fits both the afternoon and school holidays.
• Practical independence. Children prepared snacks and handled fruit-cutting tasks in March 2025. A visit is a useful opportunity to discuss how those responsibilities are introduced for a younger child.
• Funding and everyday supplies. With funded childcare part of the March 2025 offer, ask how meals and non-food consumables are handled within your proposed attendance arrangement.

St John's suits families seeking term-time preschool care within an early-finishing weekday, especially those who value practical independence and learning developed from children's questions. The March 2025 examples give substance to its Outstanding judgement: measurement through play, recycling tasks and shared activities with nursing-home residents. The timetable is the decisive practical consideration.