St Eval Pre-School

An allotment, a sensory garden and The Den give St Eval Pre-School a day shaped by outdoor play, growing and imagination. Inside its purpose-built building, two classrooms support children’s choices, while a messy room makes space for water, sand and sensory exploration. This is a setting with concrete things for small hands to do.

At its October 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good and safeguarding effective. The assessment also left two clear priorities: reducing competing noise during listening activities and allowing children more thinking time before expecting an answer. Those details matter more than the grade alone.

Children can start from age two without being toilet trained, and the setting has 16 places in total. Morning and afternoon sessions provide different ways to fit preschool into the family week.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care. Here, play links physical activity, language, early mathematics and independence: children choose activities across the classrooms and outdoor spaces, rather than spending the whole session on one directed task.

The day starts with wake & shake, a movement session combining singing, dance, yoga, exercises and group games. It gives children an active beginning before they choose their play. Creative activities occupy the classrooms, while the messy room supports exploration through sand, water and different textures. Choice is built into the routine.

In October 2023, staff used children’s experiences to shape activities. A pretend hair salon helped children explore what a haircut might involve, turning an unfamiliar experience into something they could rehearse through play. Mathematical learning was equally practical: filling containers with sand introduced estimating and capacity, with a taller, narrower container extending the challenge for older children.

The same October 2023 observations exposed a weakness in how activities worked together. A sound-identification game competed with nearby storytelling, making listening harder for some children. During other play, questions arrived too quickly for children to formulate their replies. The issue was the organisation and pace of interaction, with a direct effect on children’s opportunities to listen and speak.

Outdoor and Community Life

Growing is part of the current day. Children sow seeds and raise vegetables in the allotment area, giving them a practical reason to notice change and care for living things. The sensory garden connects to The Den, which supports imaginative play and stories. These spaces give outdoor time more purpose than exercise alone.

Trikes and scooters provide movement in the playground, and construction play gives children reasons to collaborate and communicate. Outdoor activities continue through different weather conditions and seasons, so the garden is part of everyday provision rather than an occasional extra.

In October 2023, children practised balance on small crates outside, with a helping hand when needed. They also discussed risks around a tyre swing, including the possibility of another child moving into its path. Physical challenge and conversations about safety sat alongside each other.

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities were supported to progress through strategies including picture prompts, which staff also shared with parents. That is a useful example of support carrying across preschool and home, rather than staying within one activity.

In October 2023, staff worked with families to understand children’s starting points and regularly revisited their next developmental steps. Everyday independence was visible at snack time: children selected utensils, chose cereal and poured milk themselves. These were manageable tasks with an immediate purpose, giving children practice in doing things for themselves.

Current staff responsibilities include a SENDCO, a designated safeguarding lead and a deputy safeguarding lead. Classroom staff hold child-protection, paediatric-first-aid and health-and-hygiene training, and staff undertake regular training. These arrangements identify responsibilities and preparation; the dated safeguarding judgement remains the assessment of their effectiveness.

A healthy snack is provided, with children encouraged to help prepare it alongside staff; the afternoon begins with lunch together. Preparation gives children another practical role in the day, while the shared meal creates a common starting point for afternoon attendance.

School preparation also had a tangible form in October 2023: children visited the local primary school during the summer term and ate in its canteen. That experience introduced an unfamiliar part of school life before the move itself.

Sessions and Attendance

The setting’s address is Lincoln Row, St Eval, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7TR. Morning attendance runs from 9am to noon and afternoon attendance from noon to 3pm, Monday to Friday. The afternoon follows a similar pattern to the morning, ending with stories and singing after its lunchtime start.

The term calendar includes half-term breaks and inset days, so families need to match preschool attendance to those closures. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email at info@stevalpreschool.co.uk or by telephone on 01841 540 076.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15-hour weekly entitlement for three- and four-year-olds, starting in the term following their third birthday. Those hours may be shared between settings. Funding for eligible two-year-olds is also accepted, and paid sessions are offered alongside funded provision.

Families receive current prices in the nursery’s written quotation. The dates and fees page sets out the session timetable, term calendar and funding arrangements.

In March 2019, the preschool described a relationship with Trevisker Primary School. Attendance does not guarantee a school place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Familiarity with school activities and admission to Reception are separate matters.

• Listening and conversation. In October 2023, competing activities distracted children and questioning sometimes left too little thinking time. During a visit, ask how staff now organise quieter listening activities and allow children to finish their answers.
• The afternoon’s lunchtime start. Afternoon attendance begins with a shared lunch, while children also receive a healthy snack. Before booking, ask which food and non-food consumable costs apply to paid and funded sessions.
• The term calendar. Half-term breaks and inset days interrupt the weekday pattern. Compare these closures with your working week before choosing morning or afternoon attendance.

St Eval Pre-School suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool attendance, with outdoor growing, movement and child-led choices woven into the day. The allotment, sensory garden and The Den give that offer a clear character. The October 2023 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by specific work needed on listening conditions and conversational pace. For parents, those are useful issues to explore alongside the practical fit of the sessions and term calendar.