Nancledra Preschool

Six babies a day is the cap in Nancledra Preschool’s Baby Room, where a garden, a sleep area and countryside walks give the youngest children a day shaped around rest and exploration. Beside Nancledra Primary School, this independent charity combines baby care with a Preschool Room for older children and clubs for schoolchildren. Its rural surroundings are part of the daily experience.

The preschool has 26 places in total and provides childcare for children aged 0 to 4. Ofsted rated it Good on 1 March 2022 and judged safeguarding effective, with secure access, visitor checks and allergy procedures among the safeguards examined. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of today’s practice.

Term-time and year-round contracts sit alongside morning, afternoon and several day-session choices, although babies attend day sessions only. The distinction matters: the youngest children have a different booking model from preschool children.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room caters for children aged 0 to 2, with a maximum of six babies each day; sensory play, a calm resting area and its own garden containing a swing, slide and climbing frame give it spaces for both activity and rest. An armchair offers somewhere to share a book with staff. Regular countryside outings use twin prams, bringing local wildlife and seasonal changes into babies’ experience beyond the garden.

For children aged 2 to 4, the Preschool Room emphasises play directed by children’s interests, friendships and consideration for others. These are useful foundations for sharing activities and becoming part of a group. The room’s approach gives children a say in what they explore, rather than making adult-led activities the whole day.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage shapes learning through play, with opportunities to develop communication, movement and relationships. Here, children’s interests help determine activities. Sports 4 Tots adds weekly physical education sessions, introducing a different sport each week and practising the skills associated with it. That gives preschool children a recurring opportunity to try organised movement alongside their chosen play.

In March 2022, children sustained their attention during exploration and selected resources independently. Play dough and cutters gave them practice using their hands and small tools, while songs and dancing brought language and movement together. These examples show what learning looked like at that time: familiar materials used for purposeful practice.

The same March 2022 assessment identified a limit to that teaching. Staff sometimes needed to add more challenge based on skills children had already mastered. For parents, the useful distinction is between offering an enjoyable activity and adapting it so a child takes the next step.

Relationships and Communication

Each preschool child has a key worker who builds relationships with the child and family. Before starting, parents complete an All About Me profile, giving staff a starting point for understanding the child. The arrangement makes family knowledge part of settling and learning.

For babies, a home visit helps staff learn about routines, preferences and family life. A diary travels home each day with information about sleep and eating, giving parents a practical account of the day. The Baby Room’s sleep and resting spaces support this attention to individual routines.

In March 2022, babies’ sleep arrangements followed familiar patterns from home, and children turned to staff for comfort. Daily conversations helped parents understand their children’s achievements, but some families and staff did not have a clear enough picture of individual next learning steps. The improvement required was more precise information sharing, so adults could build on the same skills consistently.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff used outside professional advice to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and used children’s home languages alongside English to develop understanding and vocabulary. These were concrete support mechanisms at that visit. Today’s team includes a SENCO role, giving families a designated route for discussing additional needs.

Staff experience and training also form part of the preschool’s organisation. In March 2022, appraisals, supervision and regular training were used to develop practice, with learning shared at staff meetings. The advisory board includes parents, staff and community members, allowing families a role in the setting’s governance.

Children can attend while still wearing nappies, with a separate changing area and staff support when potty training begins. Milk and water are offered to babies and preschool children, and the Preschool Room has fruit snacks during both morning and afternoon attendance.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.45am to 5.15pm from Monday to Thursday, with Friday closing at 4.15pm. Morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am; afternoons run from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Day sessions start at either 7.45am or 8.45am and finish at 3.15pm, 4.15pm or 5.15pm, within the day’s opening hours.

The minimum booking is two morning or afternoon sessions per week, or one full day. Baby Room bookings are restricted to day sessions. Both term-time and year-round contracts are offered, with closures for bank holidays, two weeks at Christmas and the first two weeks of August. Those summer and Christmas breaks need to fit the family’s childcare plans.

For schoolchildren, Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am to 8.30am, with breakfast included and school staff taking children to their classrooms; children needing breakfast must arrive by 8.10am. After School Club starts at 3.15pm and ends at 5.15pm Monday to Thursday or 4.15pm Friday, with collection by preschool staff, a snack and activities. Club attendance requires a registration form, and cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice attract a cancellation charge.

Getting There

The address is Nancledra Preschool, Nancledra Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8NB. Road directions use the B3311 and the lane signed for Community Hall, leading to the preschool car park.

The preschool describes a close working relationship with Nancledra Primary School and occupies a purpose-built building completed in 2018. Attending the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place; families still use the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted from nine months old for eligible children, beginning in the term after the child reaches that age. Paid childcare is also offered. Current prices come in the preschool’s written quotation.

• Baby bookings. The Baby Room accepts day sessions only, while older children can attend mornings or afternoons. Match the booking pattern to your baby’s routine as well as your working hours.
• Learning updates. In March 2022, information about children’s next learning steps needed to be clearer for some parents and staff. During a visit, ask how those steps are now shared and how activities become more challenging as skills develop.
• Holiday cover. Year-round contracts include closures at Christmas, in early August and on bank holidays. Those breaks still require a family plan.
• The written quotation. Eligible families can use funding from nine months, and Breakfast Club includes breakfast. Ask how meals, non-food consumables and any extra hours are treated in your proposed contract.

Nancledra Preschool suits families seeking either morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those needing day sessions and school wraparound care. For babies, the six-child daily cap, dedicated garden and attention to home routines are the strongest practical attractions. For older children, interest-led play and weekly Sports 4 Tots sessions give the day a clear shape.

The March 2022 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with a specific reservation about extending learning and communicating next steps. A visit should make that part of the conversation. The attendance choices are useful, provided the baby-only day model and annual closures fit family life.