About UsAbout Us
Operating out of the village hall in the heart of the community, we are a small friendly pre-school with the ability to closely nurture our youngsters to develop and grow at their own pace. We have four members of very experienced staff all who have been with the pre-school for a number of years. We use a key-worker system where each child has an allocated staff member who's individual attention creates a bond to generate and stimulate growth and confidence.
Our aims
We provide safe and nurturing soundings for our children with the opportunity to:
- learn through play in a happy, secure and stimulating environment
- learn to mix with and enjoy the company of other children
- develop at their own pace
- grow in self-confidence by particiapting in a wide range of activities
- gain independence by being apart from their parents/carers for a time and to meet adults from outside the family
Activities 
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and plan a wide range of activities and topics, including arts and crafts, messy play, outside area, dressing up, storytime, music, local walks and much more.
How we are run
We are OFSTED approved (latest report, 2011 - rated 'good') and a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
Click Here Download a PDF copy of our latest Ofsted Inspection Report.
We are a community group with charitable status and a voluntary committee made up of parents who manage the pre-school. We run regular fund raising and sponsored events.
We have close links with Long Wittenham Primary School, aiding a smooth transition into school. Children due to start at the primary school in the September term are regular visitors there in the preceding terms. After Easter Vicky takes the children for visits to meet the teacher and spend time in the reception classroom. After the summer term these visits increase with Vicky leaving the children there for short periods and allowing them to participate in some of the activities. In the final weeks before the summer holidays the children visit every morning and really get to grips with the way a school morning runs. It is hoped that when they start in the September the classroom and the routine are a familiar and comforting environment for them.
A typical day
9am arrival: the children and parents/carers are welcomed by the staff as they arrive and the children are settled into their play before the parents/carers leave.
9.10 register: children are asked to sit on the mat as a member of staff calls the children's names from the register. We encourage the children to reply with 'good morning everybody'. We then count out loud the number of children on the mat and discuss what day of the week it is and what the weather is like that day. the children can then go and play.
9.15 free play and focussed activities: for this part of the morning the children have free play, choosing from a variety of activities set out for them. There are focused activities where the children are supervised but it is the child that leads the activity - malleable, junk modelling, investigation etc.
9.50 key worker time: this is where the children are split into their key groups. Activities are determined by the key worker depending on the developmental needs of the group.
10.10 tidy up and group time: the tidy up music goes on and the children are encouraged to help tidy up the room ready for snack. A member of staff/parent/helper wil prepare snack. When we are tidy the children sit on the mat for group activity, story, singing or talking about the topic.
10.20 wash hands and snack: the children wash their hands and sit down for snack - fresh fruit and milk or water is offered.
10.50 free play and focused activities (adult-led): here the children are encouraged to join in with an adult focused, pre-prepared activity incorporating the week's topic with one of the six areas of learning. When a child has completed the activity they can have free play time.
11.20 tidy up and outside or circle time: a quick tidy up of toys, then outside into the play area with bikes, sand pit, bats and balls or ring games, music and movement, musical instruments, parachutes etc.
11.45 group time, stories or singing: wind down time for the children, getting ready to go home.
12.00 home time: home time for children not staying for lunch. Or quiet time for children staying for lunch, look at a book, story sack, while staff clean the tables for lunch.
12.15 lunch: this is a social time where we all sit down together for lunch. Social skills are developed as children are encouraged to talk about their day and learn table manners.
12.45 group time: wind down time for the children, getting ready to go home.
13.00 home time.