St Tudy Preschool

A purpose-built Community Hub, separate outdoor spaces for Little Blossoms and Cherry Trees, and direct access to village playing fields give St Tudy Preschool a clear identity: early education with room to move. This community-led setting in St Tudy, near Bodmin, takes children aged 1 to 4 and has 32 places in total. Its committee structure matters too: elected trustees manage the preschool, with surplus funds returned to the setting.

At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated St Tudy Preschool Good. That judgement provides a useful starting point, but the detail matters more: the inspection-time activities connected early mathematics, practical problem-solving and exploration of the village. There were also specific improvements to make in supporting perseverance and giving older children time to answer questions.

Term-time morning, afternoon and full-day choices plus wraparound sessions accommodate shorter sessions and longer attendance patterns.

Rooms and Ages

Little Blossoms Room serves children aged 1–2.5 years, combining sensory activities, music, movement and outdoor play with spaces set aside for rest and quieter moments. Early communication and secure relationships are its main emphases. That gives the youngest children a day with changes of pace, rather than expecting them to remain involved in busy play throughout.

Cherry Trees Room serves children aged 2.5–4 years, using play to develop independence, resilience and social confidence ahead of school. Each room has an enclosed outdoor area, with the village playground and playing fields extending children's space to explore.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes the day through children's exploration and adult-guided play. Practitioners observe development to plan activities around what each child can do and is ready to practise.

Communication, creativity and social development run through the approach. Older children's EYFS activities also address literacy, mathematics and understanding the world.

In September 2023, mathematical language emerged through games about size and conversations about trains travelling above or below a bridge. A water-play problem also became a practical experiment: children used a syringe to transfer water between containers. These examples show how an everyday activity can give children a reason to use new language or try a solution themselves.

The same month's role-play cooking used vegetables, a recipe book and scales, but some children gave up when cutting became difficult and staff did not help. Engaging materials needed to be matched by support with difficult tasks.

Outdoor and Community Life

Daily outdoor exploration is part of the current room offer, supported by the preschool's own enclosed spaces and access to the playground and fields. Waterproof clothing and wellington boots belong on the everyday packing list, making outdoor activity a practical expectation for families.

In September 2023, children explored allotment-grown mint, heard a story at the village shop and picked apples from a village tree. These experiences connected food and growing with village life.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a Key Person responsible for building their relationship with the setting, helping them settle and following their development. Before starting, families complete an All About Me form covering interests, routines and needs. This gives staff something concrete to work from when getting to know a child.

Gradual settling begins with a parent visit and short sessions, adjusted to each child's needs so confidence can develop at their pace.

Famly brings communication and administration together: parents receive photographs and updates, follow milestones, message staff and manage invoices through the app.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Management includes a Special Educational Needs Coordinator and a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Experienced practitioners work alongside apprentices, with a room leader for each room.

At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effective, including the use of a traffic-light visual cue to help children attend to instructions. The visual cue provided another way to communicate instructions.

In September 2023, staff also rearranged the room when toddlers joined older children in the afternoon, removing items that could pose a risk to the younger group. Current Little Blossoms arrangements include areas for rest and quiet activity, giving younger children somewhere to pause during the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool is at Redvale Road, St Tudy, Bodmin, PL30 3NH, within the St Tudy Community Hub on the playing fields. It opens Monday to Friday during term time, from 8am to 4pm.

The main choices are Full day, 9am–3pm; Morning, 9am–12pm; Afternoon, 12pm–3pm; and Lunchtime, 12pm–1pm. Breakfast club runs from 8am–9am and includes a small breakfast, while After school club runs from 3pm–4pm and includes a small snack. Shorter additions are also sold as Early drop-off, 8.30am–9am, and Late pick-up, 3pm–3.30pm.

Public and bank holidays and five INSET days are closure days. For permanent changes to the main 9am–3pm attendance pattern, including ending that booking, the terms require at least one month's written notice; changes to wraparound attendance require at least two weeks. Missed sessions cannot be moved to another date, and fees remain payable during sickness or other absences.

Enquiries can be made by email or telephone, with telephone contact hours of 9am to 3pm during term time. The enrolment process includes an enrolment pack, while visits can be booked through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted on a term-time basis: the 15-hour entitlement for all 3–4-year-olds and eligible 2-year-olds, and the 30-hour entitlement for eligible working families from the term after their child reaches 9 months. The latter entitlement's starting age is a funding rule; this preschool's childcare offer begins at age 1. Additional non-funded hours are paid privately, and current prices come in the preschool's written quotation.

Children bring lunch from home; routine morning and afternoon snacks are charged separately, with families able to opt out and supply a suitable snack for each session instead. The preschool requests that packed food neither contain nor potentially contain nuts, and recommends an ice pack because lunchbox refrigeration cannot always be assured.

Parents supply nappies and wipes, with only their own child's supplies used for that child. A wet bag and spare clothes are also part of the daily kit. These arrangements mean funded hours and a family's overall childcare costs need to be considered separately. The sessions and fees page explains the attendance choices and snack-charge structure.

Getting There and Moving On

Parking is available on Redvale Road and near St Tudy Primary School. The preschool's position on the playing fields places its outdoor provision alongside its Community Hub base.

The preschool describes close transition work with local primary schools, including St Tudy Primary School, while supporting children wherever they will attend. Attendance does not guarantee a school place; families still use the local authority admissions process. The useful benefit here is preparation and transition support, rather than an admissions advantage.

• Term-time coverage. The opening day ends at 4pm, and holidays and INSET closures sit outside normal attendance. Families needing childcare across school holidays will need arrangements that fit those breaks.
• Independence and conversation. In September 2023, children sometimes needed more help to persevere, and older children were not always given enough thinking time before another question followed. During a visit, how do staff now help Cherry Trees children tackle difficult tasks and finish their answers?
• Lunch and allergies. Packed lunches come from home, the preschool requests food that neither contains nor may contain nuts, and refrigeration is not assured. Allergy-affected families should confirm current practice and discuss their child's needs before starting.
• Changing a booking. Main-session changes require a month's written notice, wraparound changes require two weeks, and missed sessions cannot be swapped. These terms matter if work patterns change frequently or attendance is interrupted.

St Tudy Preschool suits families wanting term-time morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those choosing a full day with breakfast or after-school care. Little Blossoms and Cherry Trees provide a clear age-based progression, while their outdoor spaces and access to village fields give the setting a concrete practical appeal.

The September 2023 Good judgement is balanced by specific teaching improvements around perseverance and conversational patience. For parents, the strongest combination is a community-led preschool with individual settling, a Key Person and flexible session choices, provided its term-time calendar and packed-lunch arrangements fit family life.