Little Stars Pre School Ifield

Play dough, puppets and baking give Little Stars Pre School Ifield a practical, playful character, while individual learning plans make room for children to develop at their own pace. This Crawley pre-school admits children after their second birthday and has 55 places in total. The emphasis is on getting involved.

At its 11 October 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Outstanding overall. That judgement is dated: the current care arrangements include a key person for each child, learning journals shared with families and access to the West Sussex Inclusion Team when additional support is needed.

The address is The Mill Primary Academy, Ifield Drive, Crawley, RH11 0EL. Being on a school site is useful context, but attending the pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning and care: children develop communication, physical skills and relationships alongside experiences with stories, numbers, creativity and the world around them. It is the common foundation for early years provision. Here, activities change between sessions, with modelling, role play, music, baking and puppets among the choices.

Those resources give children several ways to join in. Making something with play dough calls on different skills from telling a story through a puppet or taking part in a rhyme. Individual plans prepared by the key person connect that shared activity programme to each child's interests and next steps.

In October 2021, imaginative play included real pliers and spanners. Children also explored a story through an indoor den and worked together outdoors to construct a house. These were hands-on experiences: a story became something children could build, discuss and act out, rather than only listen to.

Health was another practical theme in October 2021. Making pretend teeth and investigating pictures of skeletons opened conversations about looking after the body; children's interest in bones led to discussion of the spine. Everyday care became material for questions and new vocabulary.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor resources support physical activity as well as play. In October 2021, visiting adults led ball games, children made outings to shops and the railway station, and visiting librarians read stories. Live online singing with care-home residents also connected children with people beyond the pre-school.

Family involvement has its own place in the current programme. Parents can join their children for cooking and creative art activities, making shared experiences part of the relationship between home and pre-school. These sessions give adults a practical way to participate, alongside conversations about development.

Relationships and Communication

A key person observes each child's development and plans around their individual needs. This gives families a consistent point of contact and connects care with learning. Learning journals contain photographs and observations, and parents can see them whenever they wish; termly consultations provide another opportunity to discuss progress.

Tapestry lets parents view their child's activities online. It sits alongside the learning journal and direct conversations, rather than being the only channel for communication. Plans are shared as they develop and are reviewed, so families can follow the steps staff are working towards.

Settling can be adapted to the child. Shorter initial attendance, parents staying for part of a session and several preparatory visits are possible where needed. The arrangement depends on the individual child, which matters for families whose child needs a slower introduction to an unfamiliar group.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support for special educational needs and disabilities has specific mechanisms. The SENCO prepares a plan addressing the child's needs, while the West Sussex Inclusion Team can visit to recommend strategies, with parents invited to take part. The building and toilets have wheelchair access, and visual timetables help children understand routines and communication.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and strong support for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, including staff demonstrations that helped children participate and develop vocabulary. These are inspection-time findings, separate from the current support arrangements.

Collection procedures include a password for another adult collecting a child and signing out when leaving early. Regular fire practice is introduced to children through the Book and Whistle game. For prescribed medication, a designated staff member administers it and parents must sign.

School transition support can include discussions between parents and teachers, photographs, visits to the school and teachers visiting the pre-school. The Inclusion team can continue supporting transition through the first school term. These arrangements concern preparation and support, rather than an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

In October 2021, opening hours were 8.45am to 2.45pm on weekdays during term time, with both half-day and full-day attendance. Extended Wraparound Care is also advertised. The distinction matters: the dated daytime schedule and the extended care offer should be considered separately when planning a child's attendance.

Families can contact the office on 01293 510 713 or office@littlestars-preschool.co.uk. Once a place is offered, it is reserved and a family visit is arranged. Leaving, reducing attendance or requesting a session change requires four weeks' written notice; a change of session also depends on space. Sessions missed because of illness, appointments or holidays are not refunded.

Funding and Paid Extras

For children aged three and four, funded entitlement is offered at up to 15/30 hours a week across 38 weeks. A funding declaration and a copy of the child's birth certificate are required by the term's headcount deadline. Missing that deadline can lead to withdrawal of funding and an invoice, so the paperwork is part of planning a funded place.

Private charges are based on an hourly rate. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. In October 2021, funded early education was also accepted for two-year-olds; that is a dated statement about participation at that time.

For Reception at a state school, families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Sharing a site with The Mill Primary Academy does not make transfer automatic.

• Attendance and extended care. Half-day and full-day sessions belonged to the October 2021 schedule, while Extended Wraparound Care is advertised now. At a visit, ask how the current session choices, funded hours, meals and consumables fit together in a written quotation.
• A tailored introduction. Settling can include shorter attendance and parents staying where needed. Discuss how that flexibility would work for your child, especially if an individual support plan is required.
• Changes need notice. Four weeks' written notice applies to leaving, reducing hours and changing sessions, with session swaps dependent on space. Build that lead time into any change of childcare arrangements.

Little Stars gives families concrete ways to stay involved: a key person, accessible learning journals, termly discussions and shared cooking or art activities. Its individual planning and access to the West Sussex Inclusion Team make it worth considering for parents who want a clearly described support process.

It suits families exploring half-day or full-day preschool attendance, as described in October 2021, as well as those interested in the advertised extended wraparound offer. The Outstanding judgement provides a strong historical reference; the practical decision rests on how today's attendance arrangements fit the child and family.