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Early years · Report card

Little Learners Pre School

Inspected 27 Apr 2026 · URN 2740708

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Achievement verified

    Expected standard

  • Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified

    Expected standard

  • Children's welfare and wellbeing verified

    Expected standard

  • Curriculum and teaching verified

    Expected standard

  • Inclusion verified

    Expected standard

  • Leadership and governance verified

    Expected standard

  • Framework verified

    Report card

  • Group verified

    Marsh, Sarah Jane

  • Inspection datesingle source

    27 Apr 2026

  • Postcode verified

    BH25 6PZ

  • Name on report verified

    Little Learners Pre School

  • Safeguarding verified

    Met

  • URN verified

    2740708

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2025.

  • AchievementExpected
  • Behaviour, attitudes and routinesExpected
  • Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected
  • Curriculum and teachingExpected
  • InclusionExpected
  • Leadership and governanceExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+79Very positivemore positive than 63% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisepositiveconfidentlyhigh expectationsenjoyeffectivelyfeel safeconsistentlythrive
Criticismnot alwaysconcernsnot consistentlystrugglelimited

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings1258w+82
  • Leadership254w+73
  • Safeguarding51w−11
  • What needs to improve39w+33

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
8
Words of findings
1,602
about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level
Fairly hard
Flesch 54, typical 43
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
2
typical 3
Hedged sentences
3%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 64%Leadership 13%Safeguarding 3%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 19%

Full report text

Little Learners Pre School

Unique reference number (URN): 2740708 Address: New Milton Infant School, Lymington Road, New Milton, BH25 6PZ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 07/07/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Marsh, Sarah Jane

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show a positive attitude to learning and achieve well. For example, they concentrate as they complete jigsaw puzzles. Older children persevere as the puzzles become more complex with an increasing number of pieces. Children smile with contentment when they complete the more difficult jigsaws and receive praise from the caring staff on their achievements.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children engage positively with the activities on offer and interact well with each other. They show enjoyment when they play in the outside sandpit together. Children understand they need to put their arms out to help them balance as they persevere on the balancing bars. They show persistence when they wobble and fall off, and then they start the process again. Children display interest and curiosity as they handle the large flower-filled ice cubes. They confidently say, 'it's slippery' as they touch the blocks and quickly dry their hands, stating that they are cold.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate they are happy and safe in the pre-school. They play well alongside each other and generally understand the need to take turns and share. When younger children struggle, staff sensitively intervene. Older children know that they can use the egg timers to help them to wait their turn. Leaders and staff encourage attendance and punctuality. They promptly follow up any absences. All children, including those who face barriers to their learning progress well. Staff regularly monitor children's next steps to ensure they remain appropriate. Children generally behave well and staff have high expectations and consistently praise children on their accomplishments.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show a positive attitude to learning and fully engage in activities. They can follow instructions and understand the routines. For example, they wash their hands before meal times and after using the toilet. Staff sit with the children and support them during snack time. Younger children collect their bowls and help themselves to the fruit. Older children know to wash up their plates and bowls after use and naturally do this with no reminders from staff. This helps to develop their independence skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff find out what children know and can do when they arrive at the pre- school. This enables them to create an environment for children to thrive, belong and achieve. Children enjoy playing with their friends and sit holding hands during story time. They are confident learners and chat animatedly with each other and to staff and visitors. Children demonstrate good coordination skills as they access the well-equipped outside area.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff generally promote independence well. They encourage children to put on their coats to access the outside area. Staff are on hand to support younger children if they need help. Children follow instructions as staff instruct them to line up and hold hands with a friend.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Older children are beginning to manage their own self-care needs and understand the importance of using soap to wash their hands after using the toilet and confidently hold up their hands to staff to show they are clean. Staff offer children healthy choices at snack time which helps children begin to learn about health eating. Children demonstrate positive social skills and show kindness to their friends.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders have made changes to their curriculum delivery. They have worked with staff to embed the changes which is having a positive impact on the provision.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff plan a broad and balanced curriculum but on occasion they do not provide opportunities to meet the differing needs of children. For example, staff do not always support children to express their own ideas or help them in the correct use of tools. Although children enjoy activities, this does not always extend their learning effectively and help them to learn how to hold tools appropriately.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff understand children's needs well and they prioritise children's communication and language skills during small focused groups, singing and story time. They use Makaton and children who have limited language skills learn to sign.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff introduce new language as they talk about how seeds grow and encourage the children to repeat words, such as 'bud'. They encourage children to recall the story and discuss the creatures in the books. However, staff do not consistently give children sufficient time to extend their learning through high-quality interactions. This does not encourage children to problem solve or respond to questions during activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff skilfully weave early maths language into activities. This includes counting during story time. They encourage older children to add one more or take one away during tabletop activities. Children enjoy using the scales to match the number of frogs to the numeral and staff differentiate their teaching to support children's individual stages of learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations and since the last inspection have introduced further measures to monitor children's progress so that all children achieve well from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure the pre-school offers an inclusive environment. They value each child's uniqueness and work well with parents to gather relevant information when children start. The special educational needs coordinator has the knowledge, skills and qualifications to make a positive difference for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff promptly identify and assess children who may face barriers to their learning. They work effectively with other agencies to ensure children receive timely support to enable them to make steady progress in their development. Leaders use funding effectively to ensure it is targeted to meet individuals' needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff support children well which helps them feel safe and secure. They use their knowledge and understanding of children's circumstances to provide experiences they may not necessarily have. This includes regular access to the outside area which builds children's confidence, curiosity and physical skills. They work closely with the school staff to ensure a smooth transition when children start in reception.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have taken on the advice and support from the local authority since their last inspection and visited other settings to improve their knowledge and understanding of the importance of an ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of all the children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders now ensure supervisions focus on driving up the quality of the curriculum. Staff report their wellbeing is prioritised and they feel supported in their roles. Weekly room meetings help to ensure there is a clear focus on supporting children's next steps and staff talk confidently about their key children and how they are progressing in their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work in partnership with the school which helps to ensure smooth transitions when children move on to the next stage in their education. They work effectively with other agencies to ensure children receive the support they need at the right time. They support parents to access their full entitlement to funding. Leaders use the funding they receive to appropriately meet children's needs. This helps to ensure children, including those facing barriers to their learning, make steady progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak highly of the pre-school and how they value the help they receive to support their children, including ideas to further progress their learning at home. This joined up approach helps children to achieve well. Leaders offer a lending library and children excitedly share their books with their parents at collection time. This helps to further develop children's love of literature and encourages parents to tell stories to their children at home.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders have made some effective changes since the last inspection, which has had a positive impact on the pre-school.

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Inspector:

Children arrive happily and separate from their parents and carers with ease. They demonstrate they feel safe and secure with their key persons as they confidently engage in conversations. Children immediately venture into the play areas and access the range of available resources and activities. They make choices in their play, choosing to access building blocks or imaginative resources. They play alongside their friends, taking it in turns to be the 'shop keeper', counting out the money and giving out shopping. This helps to develop their mathematical skills as they count the coins and hand out the 'pretzels'. Children also demonstrate their matching skills as they recognise which biscuits are the same, and which are different.

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Inspector:

All children, including those facing barriers to their learning, access activities in the inclusive environment. They all make steady progress from their starting points. Children behave well and show respect for the resources. They develop the social skills they need as they learn to take turns and share with their friends.

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Inspector:

Children become increasingly independent at the pre-school as they learn to put on their coats and follow instructions. They have many opportunities to develop their physical skills in the well-resourced garden. Children climb, balance and develop their core strength during outdoor play.

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Inspector:

Overall, children generally make progress in all areas of learning. They access a range of opportunities to develop and enrich their communication and language skills and children enjoy taking on the role of 'teacher' to read stories to their friends.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff consistently give children sufficient time to respond to questions and solve problems to extend their learning. Leaders should ensure that staff provide opportunities for children to practise their skills and knowledge in creative ways.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, children and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. Lindsay Osman

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Address:

New Milton Infant School Lymington Road New Milton BH25 6PZ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:40 - 15:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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