Rowlands Castle Preschool

Rowlands Castle Preschool
Unique reference number (URN): 2783262
Address: Rowlands Castle Preschool, St. Johns C Of E Primary School, Whichers Gate Road, Rowland's
Castle, PO9 6BB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 13/03/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: The Watership Down Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 31 March 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Strong standard
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.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
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.
Achievement Strong standard
Children make excellent and consistent progress from their starting points across all areas
of learning. They grow in confidence, independence and their ability to engage meaningfully
in activities.
Children who face barriers achieve exceptionally well. Those who previously found it difficult
to settle or participate now follow routines, engage fully and communicate in their own way.
Targeted support, early action and carefully planned opportunities make a real and lasting
difference.
Younger children show impressive progress, particularly in physical confidence,
communication and independence. Older children concentrate for sustained periods,
communicate effectively and manage their own needs with growing confidence. All children
develop a genuine love of the outdoors and build real-life skills linked to the environment
and sustainability. They try new things, persist when something feels hard and leave
exceptionally well prepared for their next stage, including school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Relationships between staff and children are genuinely warm. Children approach any adult
with ease and confidence, not just their key person, and this security shows in everything
they do. They cooperate naturally, take turns, support each other and show real kindness.
Older children help younger ones without being asked, in a warm and familiar way that
reflects the secure bonds between them. Children, without prompting or support, choose to
play outside, so they do not disturb younger children who are sleeping.
Routines are firmly embedded and actively support independence. Children manage
dressing, hygiene and mealtimes with growing confidence, with sensitive support where it is
needed. Expectations are adapted thoughtfully for children with special educational needs

and/or disabilities so that every child can succeed within shared routines. In forest school,
children proudly recite the safety message, 'If you can see me, I can see you' and remind
each other to be careful. Children have a deep understanding of staff's expectations and
take real responsibility for their own behaviour.
Leaders work closely with families and outside agencies where needed, making sure
children access the setting regularly. Children arrive settled and engage positively from the
moment they walk in. They show a genuine enthusiasm for learning that lasts all day.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children feel genuinely at ease throughout the setting. They seek out adults when they need
help or want to share something, and staff respond with warmth and calm attention. Every
child is known as an individual, and this shows consistently in the care they receive.
Care is shaped around each child, not fixed routines. Children rest when they need to, and
personal care is led by the child. Staff respond immediately and sensitively. The confidence
with which even very young children make their own choices about personal care clearly
reflects how respected and secure they feel here.
The setting's commitment to outdoor learning has a real and positive impact on wellbeing.
Children return from forest school calm, settled and regulated, and this is reflected in the
peaceful atmosphere across the whole day. Staff actively support children to understand and
express their feelings. They do so with confidence, returning readily to play and to their
peers. They understand how to keep themselves safe, follow hygiene routines
independently and manage mealtimes with ease. Children who need additional support are
included naturally and cared for in ways that are tailored specifically to them.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders and staff focus on the skills and knowledge they want children to carry with them for
life. The curriculum is designed around what they want children to know, feel and be able to
do in preparation for school and beyond. It is well structured around key themes such as
'home from home' and 'kindness and individuality'. These well-embedded themes are
delivered consistently in practice.
The early years foundation stage is fully integrated and all 7 areas of learning are covered
with skill and intention. Staff are expert at finding learning in every moment. Mathematics
runs through activities, such as measuring and number recognition games. Rich language
grows through storytelling, small-group work and exposure to different languages and
cultures. Forest school activities connect physical development, risk awareness and
communication. They are central to the curriculum, not an addition to it.
Assessment is a real strength. Children's next steps are visible on the 'learning wall' and
accessible to every member of staff, so learning is extended at every opportunity. Staff
identify need, act quickly and check the impact. Language groups now run daily, and
children's communication and confidence are measurably stronger as a result.

Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff have built a highly effective approach to inclusion that runs through
everything the setting does. Staff identify children's special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND) swiftly. They know each child exceptionally well and use a clear,
structured process to move children between monitoring and targeted support as their
needs change. Where children require education, health and care plans, leaders work
closely with families to make sure the process is thorough and the impact on children is
clear.
Leaders prioritise reducing barriers, particularly in communication and language. Staff use
daily language groups, visual prompts, objects of reference and small-group work
consistently, and these make a clear difference to children's progress. Staff are confident
and skilled, supported by relevant training, including communication and autism-focused
programmes. The special educational needs coordinator attends local authority meetings to
discuss children's needs and share strategies. Leaders use funding thoughtfully to ensure
clear impact.
Parent partnerships are central to everything. Staff shape individual plans in partnership with
families and external professionals, and these are reviewed regularly and acted upon.
Transitions to school are managed with real care, and staff share plenty of information with
teachers. Children with SEND access the same rich experiences as their peers and make
meaningful progress from their starting points.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders have a clear, ambitious vision and an unwavering commitment to improving
outcomes for children. This is evident in ongoing developments, including the outdoor
environment and a sustained focus on communication and special educational needs and/or
disabilities.
Leadership is genuinely collaborative. Staff contribute ideas and take ownership of
developments. The woodwork area, 'Mini Medic' programme and sustainability projects are
all staff led and are carefully considered before being introduced. Staff consult children each
term about how the setting develops and which resources to buy. Their voice shapes the
environment around them.
Leaders know children and families exceptionally well. Support is carefully planned,
consistently applied and regularly reviewed. Close working with parents and external
professionals means no child is overlooked. Staff feel genuinely valued. Leaders are
approachable and responsive, taking account of individual circumstances, wellbeing and
workload. Staff identify what they want to learn, and leaders support them with this. The
result is a team that grows together. Training in areas such as autism awareness, forest
school and leadership development sits alongside daily practice. Children benefit directly
from every step the team takes. Strong links with the local school enrich children's
experiences and make transitions smooth and positive for every child.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive at this nurturing and ambitious pre-school. Every part of the day is shaped
around helping them feel secure, grow in confidence and develop a genuine love of
learning. From the moment they arrive, children move into familiar routines freely and
confidently. Staff know each child extremely well and greet them with genuine warmth. The
meditative music and calm entry approach set an unhurried tone, giving every child time to
settle gently into their day. Relationships here are built on real trust. Children approach any
adult in the room with ease, not just their key person, and this demonstrates how safe and
valued they feel. Staff follow children's lead naturally, and every child begins the day feeling
understood.
Children spend regular time in the forest school, where they build physical confidence and
learn to make their own judgements about risk. When children construct a see-saw from a
tyre and a plank of wood, staff talk with them about what could go wrong and how to make it
safer. When a child discovers a worm beneath a log, staff gather the group and use open
questions to spark curiosity, extend language and deepen understanding. These moments
happen because staff are skilled at recognising these opportunities and building on them.
Communication and language run through everything. Children are immersed in rich
conversation, small-group work and storytelling. The setting's deep commitment to
sustainability gives every experience a sense of real purpose. Mealtimes are calm and
social, and children serve their own food, choose where to sit and clear up after themselves.
Experiences such as 'Mini Medic', where children learn how to respond in an everyday
emergency, show just how high the ambition for every child is here. Children meet every
opportunity with curiosity and confidence.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children,
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or
previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their
learning and/or wellbeing.

Inspector:
Sharon Kamel
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2783262
Address:
Rowlands Castle Preschool, St. Johns C Of E Primary School
Whichers Gate Road
Rowland's Castle
PO9 6BB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 13/03/2024
Registered person: The Watership Down Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30
Local authority: Hampshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 31 March 2026
Children numbers
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with children, parents, leaders, practitioners and the special
educational needs leader during the 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.

Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 4
Total number of places
23
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
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.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
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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