Caterpillars Pre-school, Sussex

Children’s interests shape the learning at Caterpillars: practitioners observe their play, then change activities and resources to build on what catches their attention. Based at Southgate Community Centre in Crawley, this is a pre-school with a practical emphasis on communication between home and setting. A child’s Learning Journal brings together observations, photographs and examples of their work, making development something parents can follow rather than simply hear about at the end of a session.

At its March 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective, with positive findings about language development and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. That judgement belongs to that visit. The current accepted age range is 9 to 60 months, and attendance includes morning, afternoon and all-day sessions.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care, with play supporting communication, physical development and relationships. Caterpillars turns children’s interests into planning: observations inform the next activities, while resources in the learning areas change to extend exploration. Planning takes place weekly, with both adult-planned activities and opportunities that emerge from children’s play.

The Learning Journal is the practical link between those experiences and the next steps. It contains written observations, photographs and children’s work, so practitioners can follow development over time. Parents contribute through termly consultations. This gives families a defined opportunity to add what they know about their child at home, rather than leaving planning entirely to the setting.

In March 2022, imaginative play included potion-making and an outdoor car-wash game. Practitioners used children’s chosen activities to develop conversation and introduce new vocabulary. Another example involved finding worms and assigning them family roles according to their size: a small investigation became an opportunity to describe and compare.

Older children’s storytelling in March 2022 included acting out a dragon hunt, contributing ideas and changing their voices during songs. These examples give a clear picture of learning through participation: children were talking, moving and making choices within an activity, rather than only listening to an adult.

Outdoor and Community Life

Indoor and outdoor spaces support exploration, and the garden was a popular choice in March 2022. Children helped develop their car-wash play outside, giving the outdoor area a role in imaginative learning as well as physical activity.

Parents can also participate through Friends of Caterpillars, the parent involvement group, or volunteer as helpers. Staying for part of a session is another option. For families who want an active relationship with the pre-school, these are concrete ways to contribute beyond consultations.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person responsible for following their learning and maintaining their Learning Journal. The role also includes contacting parents about concerns. It gives families an identified practitioner who brings together observations and knowledge of the child, rather than leaving communication to whoever happens to be available.

Termly consultations include a narrative observation covering achievements and next steps, with suggestions for activities at home. After a child turns 2, parents receive a written developmental summary which they can share with other professionals, including a health visitor. Together, these arrangements connect everyday play with more structured conversations about development.

Settling is tailored to the individual child. Shorter periods of attendance, a parent staying alongside the child and several visits before starting can form part of the approach where needed. The emphasis is on adjusting entry to the child’s circumstances, rather than expecting every family to follow the same sequence.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SENCO prepares Play Plans addressing a child’s particular needs, alongside the key person’s individual learning plan. Families are involved as plans are developed and reviewed, and additional meetings supplement the termly consultations. Visiting specialists can work with children at the setting, while applications for additional staffing, equipment or training can be made to West Sussex County Council where needed.

Physical access deserves attention too. The building and toilets are wheelchair accessible; the garden has steps, with a ramp available for access. Visual timetables support routines and communication. These details give families specific arrangements to discuss against their child’s needs.

At the March 2022 inspection, Ofsted also identified two areas for improvement: planning needed to give children’s cultural backgrounds a fuller place in learning, and staff needed more ways to help children negotiate taking turns themselves. These are useful questions about practice, especially for parents weighing how the setting supports identity and growing independence.

Moving to school is planned around the child. Arrangements can include discussions involving parents and the receiving school, school photographs, visits by children or teachers, and agreement on strategies for transition. This is preparation for a change of setting, rather than a named school destination.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Southgate Community Centre, Ditchling Hill, Southgate, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 8QL. Enquiries can be made by email to caterpillarpreschool@live.co.uk.

Preschool morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am, afternoon sessions from 11.45am to 2.45pm, and all-day sessions from 8.45am to 2.45pm. Additional term-time hours are charged separately. Both term-time and year-round care are offered.

Baby Caterpillars has a different timetable: mornings run from 9am to noon, afternoons from noon to 3pm, and full days from 9am to 3pm. An additional session runs from 3pm to 6pm, and earlier starts can be arranged. Its opening window is 8am to 6pm. These differences matter when siblings or working hours need to fit around attendance.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 hours of entitlement, with eligible families able to claim up to 15 additional hours of extended entitlement. Universal funded entitlement begins the term after a child’s third birthday; funding is also accepted for eligible two-year-olds and children aged 9 months and over. The entitlement can be used across morning, afternoon or all-day sessions. The funded pattern is 15 hours a week over 38 weeks, keeping the funding calendar separate from the offer of year-round care.

Snacks and wipes carry no additional charge. A book bag and water bottle are supplied free when a child joins, and neither a deposit nor a registration charge applies. Private sessions and additional hours are paid childcare, with session and charge information on the fees page. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation.

• Different session clocks. Baby Caterpillars and preschool sessions start and finish at different times. Match the relevant timetable to your family’s working day before choosing a pattern.
• Culture and independence. The March 2022 improvement points concerned cultural representation and children managing turns. During a viewing, ask how current activities develop both.
• Access to the garden. The outdoor route includes steps and a ramp. Families using mobility equipment can discuss how their child will move between indoor and outdoor play.
• Individual settling. Entry can involve shorter attendance and a parent staying. Use the viewing, arranged after the registration form is received, to discuss which approach would suit your child.

Caterpillars suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions as well as an all-day pattern, with separate arrangements for younger children. Its clearest practical strengths are the key-person relationship, documented learning and individual planning for additional needs. The March 2022 judgement provides a dated quality reference, while its improvement points give parents specific questions about cultural learning and independence. For families who want to participate, consultations and parent involvement offer several routes into their child’s pre-school life.