Gravenhurst and Villages Pre-School

Woodland grounds and a purpose-built preschool building give Gravenhurst and Villages Pre-School a clear identity: play and the natural world have room here. The setting occupies part of Gravenhurst Academy’s grounds, while a parent committee helps run the preschool. At its 3 March 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Outstanding overall. That judgement is dated, but the outdoor setting and parent involvement remain concrete reasons to consider it.

Pippins Preschool welcomes children from two years and six months to five years; Bramleys Out of School Club extends the setting’s offer to older children, up to twelve. There are 27 places in total, a whole-setting capacity rather than a preschool group size. Families can choose morning, afternoon or full preschool days, with term-time wraparound care also offered.

The strongest practical detail is the support structure. A keyworker tracks development, parents can follow observations through Baby Days, and children needing additional support can have a SEND Support Plan with regular reviews. These are specific mechanisms families can understand, rather than a broad promise of individual attention.

Learning and Activities

Pippins Preschool follows the Early Years Foundation Stage, which brings children’s learning, development and care together through everyday play. Activities are planned around the individual child’s interests and stage of development. The preschool gives a useful example: an interest in dinosaurs can become the starting point for counting practice. The child’s enthusiasm shapes the activity; the learning purpose stays clear.

In March 2022, mathematics ran through ordinary routines. Children matched portions of fruit to a chosen number at snack time, while shelf labels helped them work out how many objects belonged in each place when tidying. Older children explained addition, subtraction and equality symbols. This gave number work a purpose beyond a separate counting activity.

Language also received sustained attention in March 2022. Adults paused while reading so children could contribute their ideas, and questions encouraged them to explain their thinking. Conversations with adults and other children formed part of the day.

Outdoor and Community Life

The purpose-built building sits within Gravenhurst Academy’s woodland grounds. Indoors, the learning space is open plan and on one level, with access to the garden; an accessible toilet has a handrail.

In March 2022, children spent substantial parts of their day outside, looking for birds and noticing flowers. Sticks became digging tools, and a hole prompted discussion about building a house and choosing roofing materials. Those examples show the practical value of natural surroundings: familiar objects can prompt collaboration, imaginative play and decisions about materials.

Bramleys Out of School Club regularly uses the academy’s woodland and nature trail, and children can access its garden in different weather conditions. Holiday Club activities include woodworking, den building and visits to local parks, alongside games, creative work and team sports. These belong to the respective clubs, rather than being promises about every preschool day.

Relationships and Communication

The keyworker is the first point of contact for conversations about a child’s development and wellbeing. Baby Days is the online observation system shared with parents, allowing them to follow learning and practitioners to identify areas needing attention. Regular emails and newsletters provide another route for information.

Parent involvement reaches beyond communication. Families are asked to contribute in some way, whether through fundraising, committee work, practical help or sharing a skill with children. Committee meetings take place twice a term in the evening. For parents who want a role in the life of the setting, that creates a route to participation; it also brings an expectation of contribution.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including individual education plans and an outdoor cabin intended as a secure sensory space. The cabin was a practical response to anticipated needs, rather than an adaptation left until a child encountered difficulty.

Current support follows a graduated process. A parent can speak to the keyworker, who liaises with the SENDCO; where progress needs closer attention, a SEND Support Plan sets agreed short- and long-term outcomes and the strategies staff will use. Reviews involve parents, the keyworker and SENDCO at least every six weeks. Further professional advice can be sought with parental permission, giving families a defined sequence of discussion, planning and review.

The Communication Co-ordinator uses the Early Years Communication Toolkit, created by Central Beds speech and language therapists, to assess language and play skills alongside children. Medical needs are addressed through care plans and reasonable adjustments, with medication handled under the Medication Policy. Staff have paediatric first aid certificates and auto-injector training.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Orchard Close, Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire, MK45 4JF. Preschool operates during term time, with a full day from 9am to 3pm, a morning from 9am to noon, an afternoon from noon to 3pm, and a longer morning option from 9am to 1pm. Lunch takes place at noon.

Bramleys provides term-time wraparound care from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. Breakfast bookings begin at either 8am or 8.30am and finish at 9am; after-school bookings offer several collection points through to 5.30pm. School-age children are collected from Gravenhurst Academy. Preschool sessions and club bookings therefore need to be considered together when planning a longer day.

Holiday Club usually operates in all three half terms and during the first three weeks of summer, from 8am to 5pm. It accepts children from two years and six months up to eleven. That is a defined holiday-care pattern, rather than year-round preschool attendance. Enquiries go to admin@gravenhurstpreschool.org.uk or 01462 713445.

Permanent cancellation requires four weeks’ notice, with charges continuing during that period. To avoid a charge for an individual cancellation, regular sessions require two weeks’ notice by email, while one-off bookings require 48 hours. Absence through illness still attracts a charge where the required notice has not been given, so the cancellation rules matter alongside the session choice.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare covers Universal, Extended and Expanded Hours, with funding used term time only; the terms describe up to 30 hours a week for eligible non-school-age children, usable across preschool and after-school hours. Private childcare is also charged by the hour. Families should obtain a current written quotation, with funded hours and additional paid care separated clearly.

Government-funded sessions attract a Consumables and Additional Services Fee. For those hours, daily snacks and learning resources are charged separately through that fee, which also supports the learning journal system, cooking, gardening, craft materials and Dance Sessions. Monthly invoices are due on the second day of the month, and payment options include Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers; the fees and invoicing terms explain the structure.

The preschool shares Gravenhurst Academy’s site. Attendance at the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Shared grounds should therefore be weighed as an environmental feature, rather than an admissions advantage.

• Lunchtime and longer days. The 9am to 1pm option crosses the noon lunch break, while wraparound care uses Bramleys. When booking a visit through the manager, discuss lunch arrangements and how a child moves between preschool and club care.
• Funded-session extras. The Consumables and Additional Services Fee applies to government-funded hours and covers snacks and additional services. Request a written quotation showing how it applies to the attendance pattern you are considering.
• Parent participation. Families are asked to contribute through practical help, fundraising, sharing skills or committee involvement. Consider which form of contribution fits your time and interests.
• Term-time and holiday planning. Preschool attendance is term time, and Holiday Club usually covers three half terms and the first three summer weeks. Match those patterns against the periods your family needs childcare.

Gravenhurst and Villages Pre-School suits families choosing between shorter morning or afternoon sessions and full preschool days, including those combining preschool with term-time wraparound care. Its woodland setting, play-based planning and structured SEND process give parents clear reasons to consider it. The March 2022 Outstanding judgement adds a dated quality assessment, while the current decision rests on the session pattern, funded-hours charges and the parent contribution expected here.