Preschool
Through play, we will encourage and support your child to start their journey to become a capable and confident learner and more importantly, we have lots of fun!
Our preschool is for children aged 3 years old and entry to preschool is from the term following the child's third birthday. We run a lunch club (additional cost) and have 15 hour and 30 hour funded spaces available.
Please contact the school office for more information.
Our preschool is open term time only and follows the school’s set holidays. We have three main intakes throughout the year: September, January and April.
Our morning session runs from 8:40am - 11:40am
Our afternoon sessions runs from 12:20pm to 3:20pm
If your child is entitled to 30 hours of preschool then there will be a charge of £3.00 to cover staffing for the lunch period. Alternatively, you may pick up your child at the end of the morning sessions and return them for the afternoon session.
Your child will be allocated a key worker when they start with preschool who will be able to support and guide you through their preschool journey. Your child's key worker will be your first point of contact for any questions or queries regarding your child.
In addition to this, the preschool team are always available to discuss your child's development and progress throughout their preschool journey.
Our preschool team are:
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Preschool Manager |
Miss Hazzard |
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Preschool Manager |
Miss Raymond |
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Deputy Preschool Manager |
Mrs Snoxall |
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Preschool Assistant |
Mrs Harford |
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Preschool Assistant |
Miss Clarke |
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Preschool Assistant |
Miss Shellis |
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A typical day at preschool
At Windwhistle preschool, our day is filled with lots of exploration, investigation and fun!
We focus our daily routine on meeting your child's own interests and the environment provides a rich, stimulating and safe place for the children to have fun, learn and socialise with friends.
Our daily routine includes;
Welcome time where we sing hello to everyone, go through our daily timetable and then have a nurture check in.
Small adult led sessions where we do short activities covering all of the areas of the EYFS. We focus weekly on Phonics and Math's activities. We also focus on scribe to stage, Beat Baby and Lola the Listening Leopard.
Group time where we branch off into our key groups (each child has their own keyworker) where the children learn a range of new skills fundamental to their early development.
Snack time where children are offered a piece of fruit and milk or water. We offer a range of milk for children with dietary needs. Children are given the opportunity to cut up their own fruit and pour their milk or water into cups. The children are read a story while they are eating.
Throughout the day we offer intimate care for any children who still wear nappies and we also provide support for any parents wanting to take the next steps onto toilet training.
Throughout the day we do lots of singing, games and read lots of stories.
Home visits
When you have secured your place with us we will contact you to arrange a home visit.
Meeting us as practitioners for the first time in your child's own home will help reassure your child.
It will help us to get to know your child better and for them to feel more confident, secure and they will then feel more able to communicate freely with us when they start their sessions.
Home visits can help your child have a smooth transition into our setting. They help greatly with the settling in process, enhancing relationships between preschool and home so that we can help your child to become a confident learner and explorer.
We will ask questions regarding your child's likes, dislikes and any fascinations that they may have so that we can provide activities that will spark your child's interests and make them feel relaxed and secure.
Home visits are also a very invaluable time for you as parents/carers to ask any questions regarding our setting, the routines, learning approaches and what is planned for your child's future with us.
It is really important to us that we gain a strong and positive communication right from the beginning so that you as parents/carers feel relaxed and happy that your child is being looked after and nurtured in a wonderful, safe and exciting way.
