Birdham Pre-School

Fruit peelings become compost, children make wooden instruments, and an Eco Committee brings environmental care into everyday play. Birdham Pre-School has a practical, hands-on character: growing, making and exploring give children something concrete to think about and discuss. Its charity structure also gives parents a role beyond their own child's attendance, through a parent-led committee and fundraising reinvested in the setting.

There is capacity for 32 children, with an accepted age range of 1 to 5 years. At its 3 October 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective. Those judgements sit alongside two important improvement points: exchanging information with families when children start, and responding more consistently to children's needs during busy periods.

Attendance choices include a term-time school day, a full day, and morning or afternoon sessions, alongside seasonal holiday clubs.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning and care, with play and observation shaping support for individual development. Birdham adds the Reggio Emilia Approach, encouraging children to explore, create and contribute actively to learning.

Woodwork for Little Hands gives children practical experience with age-appropriate tools under close supervision. Making and decorating drums or shakers lets them turn materials into something they can use.

Cooking and Food Activities include baking, preparing snacks and food-related crafts. Gardening adds digging, watering and planting. These are everyday experiences with useful learning built into them: handling ingredients, exploring textures and noticing what happens to a seed all give children reasons to talk, experiment and make decisions.

In October 2024, younger children explored suitable toys in quieter, smaller groups; older children shared stories and games. Extended play periods and movement between indoors and outdoors gave children time to pursue their interests.

The water tray offered another example of independence that month. Children chose how much water to add and sought adult help with the tap when they needed it. Staff also introduced new vocabulary through conversations about children's play. Learning was threaded through ordinary decisions and exchanges, as well as planned activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Eco Committee brings children and staff together for environmental activities. Regular Nature Walks explore the surrounding area, while Clean-up Days take litter collection to the preschool and local beaches, connecting environmental care with familiar places.

Mini Gardens provide space to tend vegetables, herbs and flowers. Organic leftovers from activities and snacks go into a composting area in the forest hub, and labelled bins support recycling. In October 2024, children were using fruit scraps to make compost and talking with staff about growing vegetables. That is a useful link between something children discard and something they later grow.

Physical play was prominent in October 2024 too. Children ran and climbed in the garden and forest areas, balanced on beams and took turns on a swing. Older children considered whether their climbing felt safe; younger children received adult help to participate. For families who value outdoor activity, these are concrete examples of movement and manageable challenge, alongside the current gardening and environmental activities.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who builds family relationships and observes their development. Home visits introduce that adult before starting; taster sessions, accompanied or independent, help children become familiar with staff and surroundings.

In October 2024, information exchange during children's first days needed strengthening to support their emotional needs. The settling arrangements therefore need to be weighed alongside this specific weakness in their use.

Staff used visual prompts and supported communication through play in October 2024. They also helped children identify feelings and responded when children became overwhelmed. However, during busier parts of the day, some children needing additional help were occasionally missed. The distinction matters: familiar adults and supportive interactions need to remain effective when the setting becomes more demanding to manage.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Written individual education plans draw on observations, learning journals, assessments and advice from other professionals. The inclusion co-ordinator reviews progress with the key person and discusses it with parents. Family Centres and WSCC Inclusion Support are named sources of outside advice, giving families a clearer picture of how support is organised than a general promise of inclusion would provide.

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff identified SEND promptly, put support plans into practice and used additional funding effectively to help children progress. The current support arrangements include an inclusion co-ordinator with training in language and communication. Decisions about a child's support involve parents, the key person, the inclusion co-ordinator and manager, with health professionals contributing advice.

Accessibility has practical detail: both the building and outdoor space accommodate wheelchair access, and adapted toileting and changing facilities are provided. An interpreter can be involved for families using English as an additional language. Medicine administration and nappy changing have their own policies, while the Achieving Positive Behaviour policy provides a shared basis for staff discussions about supporting children.

Moving to school is supported through contact between the key person and the receiving school's SENCO, with the inclusion co-ordinator involved. This concerns continuity of support and information. It should be considered separately from the admissions decision.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Early Years Lodge, Crooked Lane, Birdham, Chichester, PO20 7HB. Regular preschool sessions are term-time, with ad-hoc holiday clubs at Easter, summer and Christmas.

The Term Time School Day runs from 9am to 3pm, and the Full Day from 8am to 5pm. Mornings run from 9am to noon or 1pm; afternoons from noon or 1pm to 3pm. These lunchtime boundaries allow different handover times.

Enquiries can be made by telephone or email, and joining uses a registration form returned by email. The contact details are 01243 514562 and office@birdhampreschool.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered. The funding terms describe potential eligibility for 15 hours a week for children aged 9 months to 2 years, and up to 30 hours for those aged 3 to 4; Birdham's own accepted age range starts at 1 year. Eligibility is checked through Childcare Choices, and families provide their code to the preschool. Participation in Tax-Free Childcare is also supported for eligible families.

Private sessions are offered alongside funding. Hot lunch has a separately charged option, while alternative full-day terms for under-threes and over-threes include three meals. Sun cream carries a separate charge as a non-food consumable; late collection and late payment also attract charges. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, with the admissions and fees information setting out the session choices and charge categories.

Meals follow a three-week menu, with dishes including vegetable curry, roast chicken and jacket potatoes. Dietary and allergy requirements are catered for under the preschool's food arrangements.

In October 2024, the setting occupied a purpose-built building within the grounds of Birdham Primary School. Preschool attendance does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Information at the start. The October 2024 improvement point concerned how families and staff exchanged information during children's first days. At a visit, ask how a home visit or taster session feeds into the key person's plan for settling your child.
• Support during busy periods. In October 2024, some children needing extra help were occasionally overlooked when the day became busy. Ask how staff maintain individual attention during those periods, especially for a child who communicates quietly or needs additional support.
• Term-time care and holiday clubs. Regular preschool sessions sit alongside ad-hoc Easter, summer and Christmas clubs. Discuss how those two arrangements would fit the childcare calendar your family needs.
• Meal terms and allergies. Full-day terms differ: hot lunch is listed as an extra charge, while alternative full-day prices for under-threes and over-threes include three meals. Confirm which terms apply to your booking and, for children with allergies, current food preparation and serving practice.

Birdham suits families seeking hands-on preschool learning, outdoor exploration and an active role in a charity-run setting. Its combination of woodwork, growing and environmental projects gives children practical subjects to investigate, while key-person relationships and written support plans give care a clear structure.

The attendance choices serve both families wanting a school-day pattern and those needing morning, afternoon or full-day sessions. The balance is attractive, but the October 2024 concerns about initial information sharing and busy-period support are material. The strongest decision will combine enthusiasm for the practical learning with a clear understanding of how those care arrangements now work.