Jasmine Park Pre School

A pavilion hall, football fields and a playground give Jasmine Park Pre School a character quite different from a nursery divided into age-specific rooms. Its main play space sits inside Jasmine Park Pavilion in Macclesfield, with books, construction, creative work and pretend play arranged so children can choose their own activities. Children can start from their second birthday and stay until they move on to school. There are 32 places in total.

At its 4 February 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged welfare and wellbeing and inclusion to be Strong standard, with achievement, behaviour and routines, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance at Expected standard; safeguarding standards were met. This is an area-by-area assessment rather than a single overall grade. The practical appeal is equally clear: a term-time preschool with substantial outdoor space and a personal approach to settling in.

Attendance can begin with two sessions a week and extend to five full days. That gives families scope to build a modest preschool routine or use the whole school-length day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play and children's interests, with opportunities to develop language, early number skills, independence and physical coordination. Here, the hall brings those opportunities together: a quiet book area, home corner, floor space, sand and water, craft materials and activities at tables. Children can select resources themselves. The arrangement makes choosing and moving between activities part of the day, rather than keeping everyone on the same task.

Group time includes sharing news, numbers and initial sounds. Later, children choose between construction, small-world play, dressing up, creative activities and resources for early writing. Stories and songs help bring sessions towards their close. This is a recognisable preschool rhythm, with both shared activities and room for individual interests.

In February 2026, staff used pictures, spoken directions, signing and flash cards to help children understand and communicate. Younger children had visual prompts for routines, while older children exchanged opinions in conversation. Number work also reached beyond a table activity: children used coins in a song involving pretend purchases of baked buns. The example shows how counting can become part of imaginative play.

Learning Journey records bring together photographs, artwork and observations of children's play. Parents can contribute achievements from home, including through the Magic Moments wall, where family contributions are displayed before joining the child's record. These are useful bridges between home interests and preschool activities. A fascination that starts at home can inform what staff offer next.

Outdoor and Community Life

The pavilion grounds are a substantial part of the setting's appeal. Football fields, courts and a children's playground provide different settings for movement, with checks before the areas are used. Outdoor play is included in the daily routine, giving children space beyond the hall for physical activity and exploration.

In February 2026, outdoor activities included balls, hoops and beanbags, alongside slopes and small trampolines. Indoors, children worked dough and moved sand with miniature diggers, combining whole-body movement outdoors with precise hand movements indoors.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a key person who gets to know their interests, observes their play and plans suitable activities. This adult is the family's immediate contact, giving parents a clear starting point for conversations, although they can speak to other staff.

Free settling-in sessions are tailored to the child and family. Early visits build familiarity with the space and adults, while parents meet the key person and explain individual needs. That adult helps adjust the settling period to suit the child.

Parents can look through their child's Learning Journey whenever they wish and contribute through progress sheets sent home. Conversations near the start or end of a session, or at an arranged meeting, give families opportunities to discuss the record.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that staff identified individual needs promptly, developed support plans where needed and drew on specialist training and professional links to support children with SEND, while close work with parents strengthened children's understanding of healthy eating and personal care. The useful detail is the mechanism: identifying a barrier, planning support and involving others with relevant expertise.

In February 2026, children practised naming feelings during group conversations and took responsibility for marking their own attendance. Staff also used a checklist to examine the hall for risks, important because other groups sometimes used the space. These are practical examples of emotional development and safety routines within a shared building.

Snacks are included, with fruit contributions welcomed, while children staying all day bring a packed lunch; children help prepare snacks and serve one another. The lunch policy asks families to avoid nuts and nut products and to report allergies or intolerances at induction.

Families supply nappies and wipes when needed, along with sun cream for sunny days. Comfortable, washable clothing and footwear children can manage themselves support messy play and growing independence. Spare clothes, named wellington boots and a familiar comforter are also part of the suggested kit.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Jasmine Park Pavilion, Wallbrook Avenue, Macclesfield, SK10 3GL, just off Whirley Road. Opening hours are 9:05am to 3:05pm, Monday to Friday. The preschool operates for 38 weeks annually and closes during school holidays and on Bank Holidays. Families therefore need an attendance plan that fits term time.

Morning sessions run from 9:05am to 12:05pm, and afternoon sessions from 12:05pm to 3:05pm. Half-day and full-day bookings are also offered. The minimum pattern is two sessions weekly, with bookings extending to five full days. Where the preschool can accommodate it, a morning or afternoon booking can be lengthened by an additional hour. Extra sessions can be arranged individually, subject to space.

Bookings are agreed by term. Permanent attendance changes must be requested in writing before a new term and are implemented the following term; mid-term changes are at the manager's discretion. Leaving requires at least half a term's notice. These terms matter if work patterns change frequently: the booking range is broad, but changes to a regular pattern have their own timetable.

Enquiries can be made by telephone or email. There is a large private car park, and the pedestrian entrance is separated from it. The pavilion is accessible to people with differing mobility needs and has an accessible bathroom for changing.

Funding and Paid Extras

The preschool accepts funded two-, three- and four-year-olds for the fifteen and thirty hours Nursery Education Grant, alongside families paying for sessions. Attendance follows its term-time calendar. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation. Additional fees are billed monthly in advance, with payment due during the first week; holidays and sickness do not bring a fee reduction.

Preparation for primary school centres on self-help and independence. This is practical transition work: helping children manage everyday tasks for themselves as they approach the next stage.

• Teaching continuity. In February 2026, transitions sometimes cut short children's play. Ask how routines now allow an absorbed child to continue an activity and how that works across a session.
• Help with disagreements. The February 2026 next steps called for further staff development so responses to children's behaviour become more consistent. A visit is a useful opportunity to discuss how adults now help children resolve disputes.
• Term-time commitments. The 38-week calendar, half-term leaving notice and termly attendance changes need to fit the family's working arrangements. Consider the whole year's childcare pattern, including school holidays.
• Food and personal kit. Full-day children need a packed lunch, and families provide nappies, wipes and sun cream. If allergies affect your child, confirm current practice around packed lunches and shared snacks before starting.

Jasmine Park Pre School suits families seeking either morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those wanting full days during term time. The pavilion setting gives children an unusually concrete mix of a large shared hall, outdoor grounds and playground access, while key-person contact and family contributions to learning records make the home connection practical.

The February 2026 assessment gives particular weight to welfare and inclusion. Its two improvement priorities also deserve attention: more consistent help with behaviour and fewer interruptions to children's concentration. For families whose schedules fit the calendar, this is a preschool with a clear physical identity and a flexible choice of session lengths.