Fairfield Preschool

Termly parent activity mornings and a Monday afternoon devoted to preparing for First School give Fairfield Preschool a recognisable character. Based at Fairfield Village Hall in Bromsgrove, it combines hands-on learning with opportunities for parents to take part. There are 30 places in total, and children can start from two.

At its May 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated Fairfield Preschool Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children made good progress across the areas of learning. The practical appeal is a choice of morning, afternoon and full-day attendance during term time. School holidays are outside its operating calendar.

Learning and Activities

EYFS guides the children's learning journeys: play and activities develop their communication, independence and understanding, while staff record how their learning develops. Each child has a key worker, with individual activities and work in small groups alongside the wider preschool day. This gives parents a continuing account of development rather than just a description of what their child has done.

Language and imaginative play are central to the curriculum's intentions. Independence, curiosity and confidence also have clear places in its aims. These are useful priorities for preschool children: expressing an idea, choosing an activity and managing everyday tasks matter alongside acquiring new knowledge.

In May 2025, learning about animals involved watching eggs hatch and caring for chicks. Children also explored how frogs develop, while families were invited to bring pets such as tortoises and rabbits into preschool. Living animals made change and growth tangible, giving children something concrete to observe and discuss.

Books supplied another route into discovery that month. Adults paused familiar stories so children could contribute, and factual books helped them explore questions arising from their play. Making a snake, for example, prompted discussion about venom. Storytelling and finding information served different purposes within the same day.

Outdoor and Community Life

Wednesday afternoons have a dedicated outdoor learning session, running from noon to 3pm. This is a separate, non-funded option, so its attendance and cost need to be considered alongside the child's usual pattern.

Families can join a themed activity morning each term, with Messy Morning given as an example. A newsletter sets out themes and activities each half term, and contributions from home are welcomed. That combination gives parents both a view of what is coming next and a practical way to join in.

Relationships and Communication

Settling is paced around new starters. Children may begin on different days or join after a session has started, allowing staff to give them attention individually. Parents can remain while their child settles, and text updates explain how the session is going after they leave. A staggered start is an adjustment to the child's introduction, rather than an expectation that every child immediately manages a complete session.

Key workers and personal learning journeys provide continuity after that introduction. The optional digital package combines Evidence me with a private Facebook group. It is included in the hourly rate for non-funded children and charged separately for funded children; families declining it receive everyday updates in person and can arrange a fuller discussion of development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In May 2025, staff used advice from speech and language therapists and worked with other agencies around children's needs and transitions. Assessments also helped staff identify developmental concerns and respond promptly. These are concrete support mechanisms, with attention to the individual child rather than a general promise of inclusion.

Everyday independence was visible in the same month: children served fruit and vegetables with tongs and poured their own drinking water. Cooking and tasting introduced foods associated with other cultures. These experiences brought handling tools, making choices and exploring unfamiliar food into ordinary activities.

Preparation for school has its own named session. Plus 4’s takes place on Monday afternoons for children due to start school in the following academic year, concentrating on the move to First School. In May 2025, preparation also included exploring school uniforms and visits to school grounds, making the next stage more familiar.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, afternoons from noon to 3pm, and full days from 9am to 3pm. An early drop-off option begins at 8.30am and carries a separate charge. Opening hours are 8am to 3pm, Monday to Friday; the opening window and the booked sessions are different arrangements.

Attendance is term time only. Extra sessions can be requested alongside a routine booking, including at short notice, subject to availability. This is a useful provision for occasional changes, rather than a guarantee of additional attendance.

Getting There

The address is Fairfield Village Hall, Stourbridge Road, Fairfield, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 9LZ. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form, and show-arounds are by appointment.

Funding and Paid Extras

Fairfield offers two-year-old funding and 15 or 30 funded hours for three- and four-year-olds, subject to eligibility and the relevant paperwork. Private hours are also offered, while the Wednesday outdoor learning session is non-funded. The funding and charges page explains the charge structure.

Snacks are included for non-funded children but charged separately for funded children; families declining that offer provide fruit or vegetables for each morning attended. Enrichment covering activities and resources is included in non-funded hourly charges and charged separately for funded children, as is their optional digital package.

Invoices cover the coming half term and are payable in advance, with payment due in its first week. This makes the billing cycle relevant when planning both routine attendance and additional paid options.

Fairfield Preschool describes its links with Fairfield First School as close. Attendance does not guarantee a school place: families still need to use the local authority admissions process.

• Teaching development. In May 2025, the improvement action concerned checking whether staff training translated into more effective teaching that extended children's learning. At a visit, ask how training now changes activities and adult support.
• Funded attendance and extras. Funded children have separate enrichment charges, with snack and digital-package choices to make; Wednesday outdoor learning is non-funded. Request a written quotation for the precise combination your child would attend.
• Starting preschool. Staggered introductions, parents staying to help with settling and text updates are part of the arrangements. Discuss how these would fit your child's needs and your own schedule.

Fairfield suits families seeking term-time preschool with a choice between morning sessions, afternoons and full days. Hands-on investigations, parent participation and Plus 4’s school preparation give that timetable substance. The May 2025 Good judgement provides a clear quality benchmark, while the training improvement action remains a useful point for discussion. For funded families, the decision also needs to account for the separate extras and the non-funded outdoor session.