Squirrels Pre-School CIO

A covered space for tricycles, a grassy garden and a playroom with a cosy corner give Squirrels Pre-School CIO a clear character: play has room to spread out, while quieter activities have their own place. This Canterbury setting combines a shared indoor space with outdoor equipment and everyday opportunities for children to do things for themselves.

Based on Hales Drive in St Stephen’s, Squirrels cares for children aged two and a half to four and has 20 places in total. At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall and judged safeguarding effective. Morning and afternoon sessions run during term time, with a shorter opening day on Thursday.

The strongest detail is practical rather than grand: children can draw with chalk outdoors, explore water and sand, dress up indoors and use the garden’s natural slope in their play. These are different ways to move, experiment and imagine within the same setting.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children’s learning, development and care, bringing play, communication and growing independence into the nursery day. At Squirrels, activities are prepared daily around learning through play, using resources such as water and sand trays. The main playroom includes space for books, imaginative play and creative activities; central tables also serve organised activities and mealtimes.

In December 2023, children used pretend coins to buy things at a role-play café and talked together while waiting their turn. The activity brought conversation and early number practice into one game. An interest in toothbrushing also shaped an activity in which children removed play dough from blocks with brushes, linking hands-on exploration with looking after themselves.

That December, children also mixed ingredients for a seasonal craft activity and danced together to Christmas music. These examples show different uses of the nursery day: making something to share, moving with friends and managing space around other children. They are examples from that visit, rather than a fixed programme of recurring events.

Outdoor and Community Life

The spacious garden has a covered hard-surfaced area for tricycle riding and chalk drawing, alongside grass for more energetic play. A climbing frame, slides and a playhouse add opportunities to climb and invent games. The combination gives outdoor play several forms, rather than relying on one piece of equipment.

Water and sand trays offer a different pace of exploration, and the natural slope is also used for play. Together with the indoor cosy corner, these features give children options between physical activity and quieter occupations. For families choosing a preschool, the useful distinction is the balance between a large shared playroom and several kinds of outdoor space.

Relationships and Communication

In December 2023, children selected snacks, poured drinks and helped clear away afterwards. Small jobs formed part of their day, giving them opportunities to practise doing things independently. Staff also joined children in play and conversation, while children helped one another with their lunches.

Home learning had concrete resources that December: busy bags were taken home for shared activities, and families could borrow books from the lending library. These gave parents something tangible to use with their child beyond the preschool session. Information was also exchanged with outside agencies and schools to support children’s next steps.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENCO role forms part of the team, alongside safeguarding roles, and all staff have first aid training. Squirrels uses a graduated approach to SEND: identifying developmental gaps and introducing strategies with professional help. The application form asks about medical needs, dietary requirements, allergies and SEND requirements, creating an opportunity for families to explain their child’s circumstances before attendance.

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff sometimes lacked confidence in supporting individual needs, leaving SEND support less precisely targeted, and asked for better guidance. This is a material consideration for families whose child needs tailored support.

In December 2023, a sensory space contained cushions, lights and light projectors. Children could relax there and explore projected shapes together. The space offered another way to take part in activity, alongside the more energetic play elsewhere.

Sessions and Attendance

Squirrels is a term-time setting for children aged two and a half to four. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, Monday to Friday; afternoon sessions run from noon to 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Each session lasts three hours.

Opening hours are 9am to 3pm on those four days, and 9am to noon on Thursday. The shorter Thursday matters when arranging a regular weekly routine. Most children start in September, with entry during the year dependent on a place becoming free.

Getting There

The address is Hales Drive, Canterbury, CT2 7AB, in the St Stephen’s area. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form; the application form gathers family contact details and information about the child’s health and support needs.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes Free for Two Funding, Universal Funding and the Working Parent Entitlement. Free for Two and Universal Funding cover five sessions, or 15 hours, each week; Squirrels can provide 27 hours of Working Parent Entitlement, subject to availability. Delivery is term time only, so the attendance pattern needs to fit the preschool’s term-time calendar and shorter Thursday.

Paid sessions are also offered for children who are not yet eligible for funding or for additional sessions beyond funded hours. A deposit is required for paid sessions and is returned when those sessions end, provided outstanding fees have been settled. Fees remain payable for missed attendance, including sickness and holidays. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation; the fees page explains the charge structure.

• Individual support. The December 2023 finding called for more confident, precise support for children with SEND. At a visit, ask how the SENCO translates your child’s needs into strategies staff use during sessions.
• The Thursday timetable. Afternoon sessions run on four weekdays, while Thursday finishes at noon. Families needing the same afternoon arrangement throughout the week will need to account for that difference.
• Starting preschool. September is the main joining point, and visits can be arranged by appointment. Use a visit to discuss how your child would settle into the shared playroom and session routine.
• Paid attendance. Charges continue during sickness and holidays, and paid sessions require a deposit with refund conditions. Those terms matter when budgeting for sessions beyond funded childcare.

Squirrels suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon preschool sessions, with a shared playroom and outdoor space for both energetic and exploratory play. The covered riding area, climbing equipment and quieter indoor spaces give its offer substance. The December 2023 SEND finding deserves careful discussion for children needing individual support, while the Thursday lunchtime finish is the clearest timetable constraint.