Nanstallon Pre-School

A willow tunnel, a woodland Outdoor Adventure Den and a purpose-built eco building give Nanstallon Pre-School a clear outdoor character. Sharing Nanstallon County Primary School’s grounds near Bodmin, this charitable, non-profit pre-school combines two playrooms with access to the school’s field and woodland. There are 20 places in total across the pre-school.

Ofsted rated the provision Good on 24 January 2023. The current offer welcomes children from the intake after their second birthday up to five years, with younger children generally using the Caterpillar Room and older children the Butterfly Room. Full-day, morning and afternoon patterns operate during school terms.

Practical independence runs through the day: choosing resources from low shelves, managing shoes and outdoor clothing, and taking part in sensory play. The outdoor provision adds room for physical challenge and exploration, while the settling arrangements give children a familiar character, Bob the Bear, before they start.

Rooms and Ages

The Caterpillar Room, generally for children aged 2–3, combines songs, stories and help with sharing and dressing with low storage, a dressing-up home corner, a cushioned reading space and accessible creative materials, allowing younger children to practise making choices as well as managing everyday tasks.

For children aged 3–4, the Butterfly Room brings together role play, books, sensory materials and independently chosen activities, with practitioners using questions and planned teaching to extend language and children’s interests.

Both rooms make playdough each session, with sand, water and accessible creative materials supporting exploration. Children choose resources independently, and activities are adapted to individual needs.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning and care: here, children learn through play, with adults planning experiences around their interests and development. Most play is led by children, alongside activities that practitioners guide or introduce. This gives space for children’s own ideas while allowing adults to extend what they know.

Observation informs the planning. A child’s interest can become the starting point for an activity, and resources can be used in different ways to match development and experience. The curriculum connects this work indoors with the garden and woodland provision; outdoor learning forms part of the curriculum alongside indoor experiences.

In January 2023, washing dolls introduced container capacity, playdough prompted conversations about texture, and family drawings encouraged descriptions of shapes and colours. Play brought mathematics and language together.

There was also a clear limitation in January 2023: some activities guided by adults missed chances for children to revisit and strengthen existing learning. That matters because an engaging activity needs to help children practise what they understand, as well as introduce something new.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School adds hands-on exploration of nature to the EYFS programme. Sessions run in the Spring and Summer terms, using the Outdoor Adventure Den in the primary school’s woodland. The approach centres on direct experience outdoors, with opportunities for independence and working together. All-weather clothing is provided for children and adults, supporting access to the outside spaces across changing weather.

The garden combines a willow tunnel, enclosed sandpit, obstacle course and small climbing frame with slide. A sand kitchen, gardening area and covered water table support imaginative play and investigation; bikes, scooters and building blocks encourage movement and construction.

In January 2023, large outdoor equipment helped children practise balance and coordination, while insect searches and seasonal exploration brought close attention to nature.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a key person, with settling and care shared across staff. Observation and conversation help practitioners understand children’s interests and adapt activities.

A story about Bob the Bear, the pre-school mascot, introduces children to pre-school activities. A short taster session for parents and children also forms part of settling. Together, these arrangements give children something recognisable to talk about beforehand and a chance to become familiar with staff and toys before starting.

In January 2023, staff exchanged information with parents and sent home books and activities. Buttering toast encouraged independence, while toothbrushing made dental care part of children’s routines.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the January 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children needing additional help effective, with parents and professionals involved and additional funding directed towards the learning areas where it was needed. The current arrangements include partnership with outside professionals such as speech therapists and health visitors, and the building has wheelchair access.

Toileting is approached as a developing skill, rather than an entry requirement. Children can attend before they are potty trained, and staff support families through that stage. Child-sized sinks and two toilets in separate, private cubicles sit alongside a potty for children who prefer it. This makes the facilities relevant to children’s different levels of independence.

Paediatric first-aid cover is maintained while the pre-school operates. Policies are reviewed regularly, and parents can read the policy folder and contribute comments. Families can also participate in the voluntary committee’s termly meetings, giving them a route into decisions about the organisation as well as conversations about their own child.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Nanstallon Pre-School, Nanstallon, Bodmin, PL30 5JZ. Attendance runs Monday to Friday during school term time, following Cornwall Council’s term dates. Both rooms use the same session menu, so the booking pattern does not change simply because a child moves from Caterpillar to Butterfly.

There are two full-day options: 8.30am–3pm and 8.45am–2.45pm. Morning sessions run 8.45am–11.45am, with afternoons from 11.45am–2.45pm. Early drop-off is 8.30am–8.45am, late pick-up is 2.45pm–3pm, and the non-funded after pre-school club runs 3pm–3.30pm. These shorter additions are separate from the main sessions.

The usual intakes are September, January and after Easter. Admission is in the intake after a child turns two, subject to space and the child’s readiness to remain happily within the group. Waiting-list order follows the intake for which a child is age-eligible, then the order of registration. Registration enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone or by email.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded attendance covers ages two, three and four: universal funding provides up to 15 hours weekly during term time for three- and four-year-olds, with 30 hour funding for eligible working families. Two-year-old routes cover eligible working families and those receiving additional government support.

Private fees also apply, and the after pre-school club is non-funded. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation, keeping the main attendance pattern and any additional club time separate. The fees and funding page explains the funded routes and the intake process.

Moving on to School

The pre-school occupies its own building within Nanstallon County Primary School’s grounds. In January 2023, staff shared children’s achievements with school staff and arranged joint activities with local schools to build familiarity with school life. Attending the pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place; families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Term-time attendance. The calendar follows Cornwall Council’s school terms. Full days and shorter sessions provide different weekly patterns, but families needing care through school holidays should plan around this term-time offer.
• Starting and settling. Entry normally follows a child’s second birthday at the next intake, with readiness to stay within the group part of the decision. At a visit, discuss how the Bob the Bear story and taster session would support your child’s start.
• Learning through adult-guided activities. In January 2023, children needed more opportunities to strengthen existing understanding during some guided activities. A useful visit question is how practitioners now build repetition and practice into those experiences.
• School-site expectations. Sharing grounds gives access to a field and woodland, but nursery attendance does not guarantee Reception admission. Keep the childcare decision and school application separate.

Nanstallon suits families seeking term-time full days or morning and afternoon sessions, with practical independence and outdoor exploration woven into play. The Caterpillar and Butterfly rooms offer different stages of provision, while the garden and Outdoor Adventure Den give the setting a recognisable character.

The January 2023 Good judgement sits alongside an improvement point about reinforcing learning. Settling support and accessible resources strengthen the appeal for families whose calendar fits.