Openwoodgate Pre-School

A mud kitchen, a curiosity area and a parent committee give Openwoodgate Pre-School its character: hands-on play in a setting where families have a part in how things run. Based at St Marks Church Hall in Belper, it takes children from age 2 until they start school and has 24 places in total. That is whole-setting capacity, rather than the number in an individual activity or group.

At its May 2023 inspection, Ofsted graded the provision Good overall and judged safeguarding effective. The practical examples from that visit give the judgement substance: children planted seeds after sharing a story, explored shapes through construction and served themselves at snack time. Two areas needed attention, however: understanding healthy routines and recognising emotions.

Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance are offered during term time. Wednesday afternoons have a separate purpose, concentrating on children aged 4 and over who are preparing for school.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build skills through play, conversation and everyday routines. Openwoodgate uses Development Matters to guide teaching, with children's interests helping to shape activities. Adults model language and behaviour while supporting learning that starts with what a child wants to explore.

The Curiosity Approach has a concrete expression here. A designated curiosity area lets children investigate objects and bring them into their play, while natural materials and everyday objects feature across activities.

In May 2023, a sunflower story became a planting activity. Children filled pots, planted seeds and talked about growing them at home. Wooden construction pieces provided another route into learning: staff used children's interest in building to introduce shape problems, including fitting semicircles together. These examples connect stories and mathematical ideas with things children can handle and do.

Movement also has an identifiable place in the programme. The spring and summer 2026 schedule included weekly Football Session activities, centred on ball skills, coordination and active play. Little Bear Dance Class visits brought dance activities with Melody Bear, while Robot Reg offered a phonics session in January 2026.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outside, the mud kitchen, digging area, ride-on toys and home area create several ways to play. Children can explore materials, move about or develop pretend games. Wellies and spare clothing are part of the practical preparation because digging can leave children muddy.

The 2026 programme also included a monthly Woodland Session for School Starters, taking children approaching school into a woodland setting. It extends outdoor experiences beyond the preschool's own play area. Its outings procedures require parents to be informed, consent to be checked and children to be allocated to the adults supervising them.

School preparation includes practical independence. The monthly PE Session for School Starters combines movement with learning to change clothes independently; families are asked to send suitable footwear and a change of clothes. Wednesday afternoons also include reading and writing activities. Preparing for school here therefore includes managing everyday tasks as well as early learning.

Annual occasions bring families into the programme too. Summer Fair and Open Day 2026 combined games and activities with a chance for children to play at the setting, while Sports Day 2026 was planned as the annual sporting event, subject to the weather.

Relationships and Communication

Every child is allocated a key person when they start. That allocation can change if the child develops a closer relationship with another practitioner, giving the arrangement room to respond to the child. Parents can telephone or text during settling to hear how their child is getting on, and children can bring a comforter in a named bag.

Tapestry, an online learning journal, records children's experiences and development and enables families and staff to share learning from home and preschool. Starting assessments, a check at age 2 and end-of-year reports sit alongside continuing updates. Parent chats take place twice a year, with further conversations possible when concerns arise.

In May 2023, staff exchanged information with parents and other settings children attended about development and next steps. Everyday independence was visible too: children poured drinks, spooned out raisins and spread toppings under supervision. Small tasks gave them opportunities to practise doing things for themselves.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Educators have SENCO responsibilities, providing a named role for special educational needs coordination. Where assessment raises concerns about gaps in learning, meetings with parents are arranged to discuss additional support and involving other agencies. The preschool also directs families towards Derbyshire Local Offer information for advice about special educational needs.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted identified that staff did not consistently explain why healthy routines mattered or help children understand their own and others' emotions during disagreements. In practice, handwashing and mealtimes needed more explanation, while moments of conflict needed more help with feelings. These were specific teaching points, and they remain useful subjects for a family discussion.

Parents supply nappies, wipes and pull-ups as needed, together with spare clothing. In sunny weather, children come with sun cream already applied and a labelled hat; staff top up protection at lunchtime using the preschool's cream, or families can send their preferred product.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Marks Church Hall, Over Lane, Openwoodgate, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 0SD. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone on 07776 320753 or by email to info@openwoodgatepreschool.co.uk.

Attendance runs Monday to Friday across 39 term-time weeks, with closure during Local Education Authority school holidays. Morning Sessions run from 9am to noon and Afternoon Sessions from noon to 3pm. Full-day attendance is offered as well.

Wednesday afternoons are exclusively for children aged 4 and over. For younger children, that restriction matters when choosing an afternoon pattern. Openwoodgate encourages children to begin with a few sessions and increase attendance as school approaches, rather than prescribing that progression as a fixed requirement.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education is offered from the term after a child turns 3, with two-year-old funding for families meeting the qualifying criteria. Provision is term-time. Unfunded morning and afternoon sessions are also offered, with fees paid monthly where payment applies; current prices should form part of the nursery's written quotation. The admissions and fees page sets out the charge structure.

For paid sessions, morning snacks and afternoon fruit are included in the session fee. Afternoon and all-day attendance can include a separately charged hot lunch, with menus shared at the beginning of each half-term, or families can provide a packed lunch and drink.

A one-off registration charge applies to new starters who are unfunded. Leaving requires at least four weeks' written notice; fees remain payable for four weeks or until the half-term ends, whichever period is shorter.

• Term-time attendance and Wednesday afternoons. The 39-week pattern closes for school holidays, and Wednesday afternoons are reserved for children aged 4 and over. Compare both conditions with the care your family needs across the week and year.
• Emotions and healthy routines. The May 2023 improvement points concerned explaining healthy habits and helping children understand feelings. On a visit, ask how staff now handle disagreements and explain routines such as handwashing.
• Parent participation. The voluntary committee includes parents and meets once each term; preschool membership carries an expectation of family support. Consider how you would like to contribute, whether through committee involvement or fundraising.
• Lunch and funded attendance. Hot lunch is charged separately, while packed lunches are an alternative. Before joining, ask for a written quotation showing your attendance pattern, funding and any food charges together, including how snacks are treated during funded hours.

Openwoodgate suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those wanting full-day attendance within a term-time pattern. Its appeal is concrete: a curiosity area, outdoor digging and pretend play, and school preparation that includes changing for PE. Parents also have opportunities to take part in the running of the setting.

The Good judgement from May 2023 supports that picture, but the teaching points about emotions and healthy habits deserve attention alongside it. For a family comfortable with holiday closures and the age restriction on Wednesday afternoons, this is a preschool worth considering for play-led learning and practical preparation for school.