St Clares Pre School

A purpose-built classroom, a school field for bug hunting and a mud kitchen give St Clares Pre School a clear identity: play-led early education within the grounds of St Clare's Catholic Primary School. Children aged two to four can follow their interests indoors and outside.

Ofsted rated the setting Good on 26 November 2024 and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. The preschool has 32 places in total. Its strongest practical combination is a classroom designed for preschool children alongside access to outdoor exploration, with morning, afternoon and full-day attendance during term time.

There is an important qualification to the inspection picture. In November 2024, group activities sometimes failed to hold every child's attention because their organisation did not match different learning needs closely enough. That matters for families weighing how a child who enjoys independent play will fare when everyone comes together.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play supports learning alongside the routines and support children need throughout the day. St Clares adds In the moment planning, an approach in which children's interests guide the experiences and resources staff introduce. Adults observe what children are doing, then respond with support rather than deciding every activity far in advance.

This gives parents a useful way to understand the curriculum. A child's own idea can become the starting point for learning, and the adult's contribution comes through conversation, materials and encouragement. The approach depends on staff noticing opportunities within play. It is more specific than simply describing the day as child-led.

In November 2024, adults used questions during imaginative play to encourage children to explain their ideas. Older children were encouraged to try writing within the role play area. These examples show how conversation and early writing could be connected to an activity children had already chosen, rather than treated only as separate exercises.

Outdoor and Community Life

Free-flow access allows children to choose between the classroom and outdoor spaces. Bug hunting takes learning onto the school field; the mud kitchen provides another setting for imaginative play. Puddle play and making a snowman also feature among the outdoor experiences. The practical attraction is choice: outdoor exploration forms part of the day rather than depending solely on a scheduled whole-group outing.

In November 2024, children practised balancing on beams and used a see-saw together. Adults helped them understand manageable risks through these physical experiences. A bug hunt also prompted children to talk about their discoveries. For families who value movement and outdoor curiosity, these are concrete examples of how the environment was used.

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good progress, with individual support drawing on professional collaboration, additional resources and extra adult help. This is evidence of support tailored to particular children at that time, rather than a general promise about every future placement.

The current team structure includes a SENDCO lead and a supporting SENDCO role. Team Purple, the collective name for the preschool staff, also includes a designated safeguarding lead, a room leader with a safeguarding role and a deputy with health and safety responsibilities. These roles give families clear areas of responsibility when discussing their child's needs.

In November 2024, staff used conversations about children's families to build familiarity. Visual cues helped children understand expectations, while adults supported them to describe feelings and resolve disagreements. The practical emphasis was on helping children understand what to do, rather than relying only on correction.

Independence received patient attention too. In November 2024, adults showed children how to manage dressing-up costumes and encouraged them to keep trying, rather than immediately taking over. That is a useful everyday example of care supporting a child's growing ability to manage tasks for themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

St Clares Pre School operates at St Clares Primary School, Hawthorne Road, Lache, CH4 8HX. Preschool attendance is term-time only. Morning sessions run from 9am to midday, afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and full days from 9am to 3.30pm. The separate morning and afternoon options make the offer relevant to families seeking shorter preschool sessions as well as those wanting a complete preschool day.

Purple Club provides wraparound care led by the preschool team. Breakfast club starts at 8am; the after-school club runs from 3.30pm until 5.30pm. It combines games and creative activities with outdoor play when the weather permits, giving children a different rhythm after their school day.

Breakfast includes fruit, cereal and toast; after-school children receive a light snack, with another snack for those staying until 5.30pm. General enquiries can be made by telephone or through the contact form, and a tour-booking option is available.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered during term time, with routes depending on the child's age and family circumstances. Eligible two-year-olds may receive funding, including up to 30 hours for qualifying working families; from age three, the offer includes at least 15 funded hours each week, with extended funding of up to 30 hours for qualifying families.

Funding generally starts in the term following the relevant second or third birthday, and families need to register in the preceding term. Private attendance and additional hours are also offered. Consumables and resources carry no additional charge, and there are no top-up fees. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the sessions and fees page explains the attendance and funding structure.

The preschool shares the grounds of St Clare's Catholic Primary School. Attending the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place, so families should treat the childcare decision and school admission as separate decisions.

• Group activities. In November 2024, some children lost interest when group activities did not closely match their learning needs. During a visit, ask how group activities now accommodate children at different stages.
• Term-time attendance. Morning, afternoon and full-day preschool sessions operate during term time. Families needing childcare through school holidays should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.
• Individual support. A SENDCO lead and supporting role provide a useful starting point for discussing additional needs. Ask how the team would plan support and settling for your particular child.

St Clares Pre School suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those wanting a full preschool day during term time. In the moment planning and free-flow outdoor access give the offer a recognisable shape: children's interests lead, with staff supplying resources and support.

The November 2024 findings give substance to that approach through examples of conversation, independent writing and practical self-care. Group activities remain the specific point to explore. Purple Club adds a separate wraparound option, while the school setting should be understood as a shared location rather than an admissions advantage.