Woodlands Pre-School

Inspection of Woodlands Pre-School Warners End Scout Group, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1RZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children are eager to arrive and explore the wealth of exciting learning opportunities in this vibrant pre-school. Leaders and staff make the most of this exciting and unique environment, when supporting children's development. Children have continuous access to outdoor play opportunities. They confidently dress themselves in their warm coats and boots and rush to explore the wooded area, creating dens, navigating natural equipment and creating delicious 'meals' in their outdoor kitchen area.

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The provision is good

Children develop a love of books because staff create exciting play opportunities around their favourite story of 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Children paint pictures of bears and develop fine motor skills cutting out shapes of the characters. They create an exciting obstacle course, where they recall the story exploring language and developing physical skills. For example, they 'stumble' and 'trip' over various stepping stones and 'squelch' their way through the mud they have created out of blankets.

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The provision is good

Robust behaviour management strategies support all children to have a clear understanding of appropriate behaviour. Young children all follow the setting's ethos of 'my turn, your turn' during activities. Older children independently use timers to regulate the time spent in popular activities. As a result, children are beginning to regulate their behaviour and navigate conflict in play.

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need to do better?

n Since the previous inspection, leaders have reflected well on the way they organise children's learning. Children receive differentiated teaching that meets the varied ages and needs of children who attend. Older children engage in group discussions to familiarise them with their routines, expected behaviours and focus their attention for short periods of time. Their younger friends are developing these same skills in more age-appropriate ways, where staff facilitate smaller and shorter group activities. n Staff routinely extend children's learning during activities, ensuring that all play remains exciting and engaging for children. When exploring a dinosaur sensory activity, children delight at making footprints with their model dinosaurs. They compare their sizes and explore their different names. Staff skilfully add resources, such as plants, when encouraging children to learn the meanings of more tricky vocabulary, such as 'carnivore' and 'herbivore'. They add stone eggs

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need to do better?

to develop children's critical thinking skills around which species of dinosaur may hatch from them. n All children, in particular those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, form close relationships with knowledgeable and attentive key staff who have a

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need to do better?

12 September 2025 deep understanding of children's individual needs and unique personalities. Staff use this knowledge to provide precise teaching and nurturing interactions throughout the day. However, at times, specifically during staff absence, the current key-person system does not support all children to consistently benefit from this outstanding teaching and support. n Parent partnerships are strong. Leaders and staff regularly share information with families around children's learning and development via an electronic journal system. Parents attend consultation sessions, where they gather a deeper insight into children's time at the pre-school. Leaders facilitate close relationships among parents by hosting network meetings. Parents and staff share their expertise and provide support and advice to one another. As a result, parents report that they feel well supported and knowledgeable about their

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need to do better?

children's learning and development. n Leaders encourage staff to become champions in specific areas of teaching, sharing their expertise during regular staff training sessions. Leaders conduct regular supervisions with all staff to identify additional training opportunities and provide feedback on their practice. Methods of coaching are robust, with staff regularly evaluating their own interactions with children and those of their colleagues. As a result of these strategies, the quality of teaching is strong, and morale is high within the enthusiastic team. However, further evaluation of staff deployment at busy points during the day, will ensure that all staff will be supported to engage children in consistently strong and meaningful interactions. n Staff embrace children's observations when planning exciting activities that support their learning. Children create hedgehogs like the ones that live in their

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need to do better?

outdoor area. They develop strong hand muscles manipulating modelling dough and learn new words, when exploring the 'spikey' and 'prickly' sticks that they use for the hedgehogs' spines. Children develop mathematical knowledge counting these sticks and discussing and comparing their different lengths and shapes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n evaluate the effectiveness of the current key-person system to better consider the individual needs of children, specifically during periods of staff absence n consider ways to better deploy staff throughout the day, enabling staff to provide consistently high-quality interactions at all times.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2700896 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10382371 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Woodlands Pre-School (Warners End) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07841389162 Date of previous inspection 5 December 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Woodlands Pre-School registered in 2022. The pre-school employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector considered the views of parents by speaking to several during the inspection and reviewing feedback letters. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during activities. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and leaders completed a joint observation of an activity to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with staff about the monitoring of learning and development in the setting and tracked the progress of several children.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

12 September 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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