Northgate Pre-School And Toddlers

A story turned into a woodland bear hunt captures Northgate’s approach to early learning: follow a child’s interest, then build conversation, cooperation and practical problem-solving around it. In September 2022, children searched a small forest area before working together on a bear’s house using tyres and wooden planks. The activity gave a familiar story a physical, shared purpose.

Ofsted rated Northgate Pre-School And Toddlers Outstanding on 28 September 2022, with the same judgement across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. This Tickhill setting has 27 places in total; children attending at that inspection were aged two to four.

Current attendance options include a full day, morning or afternoon session. That choice matters for families fitting preschool around different working patterns, rather than needing the same length of day throughout the week.

Learning starts with the individual child. Teaching responds to opportunities as they arise, with subsequent steps tailored to the child’s development. The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical activities help children build skills rather than treating learning as a sequence of formal lessons.

In September 2022, dinosaur play included both stories and factual books. Staff demonstrated how to find information, then explained vocabulary about what different dinosaurs eat. This linked an existing interest with language and early research habits. Questions encouraged children to think through possible answers rather than simply being given them.

Physical preparation for writing was equally concrete in September 2022. Music and movement accompanied drawing on large sheets of paper, while play dough exercised fingers. Staff then helped children develop their pen grip as their control increased. The sequence connected bigger movements with the finer coordination needed for pictures and letters.

Outdoor activity also carried learning beyond exercise. During the September 2022 bear hunt, children discussed the story, listened to safety instructions and considered how to move construction materials together. Wooden planks and tyres became resources for a shared task. The useful distinction is the connection between the activity and the skills practised within it.

In September 2022, home visits introduced children to their key person before they started and gave staff information about individual needs. A greeting song included children’s home languages, bringing something familiar from home into the group’s day. These were practical ways of making the first relationship and the child’s background part of settling.

At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff able to recognise child-protection concerns and understand referral routes. In that month, staff also helped children handle frustration, explaining why a preferred coloured pen could not immediately be supplied and supporting them to continue the activity.

Health learning in September 2022 included noticing a faster heartbeat after exercise and discussing tooth care through activities and stories. Parents contributed information about their work, backgrounds and beliefs, extending children’s understanding of life beyond preschool.

Progress tracking now uses the Early Years Foundation Stage Assessment Book to record development, with parents able to contribute. This gives family observations a place alongside those made during preschool activities.

Sessions and Attendance

The full-day session runs from 8.45am to 3.15pm. Morning attendance is 8.45am to noon, while the afternoon runs from noon to 3.15pm. Each is a separate booking pattern, so a shorter session is a real option rather than merely an early collection from a full day.

In September 2022, opening was Monday to Friday during term time. Visits can be arranged by contacting staff or emailing hello@northgatepreschoolandtoddlers.co.uk.

Getting There

The address is St. Marys C of E Primary & Nursery School, St. Marys Road, Tickhill, Doncaster, DN11 9LZ. Attendance at a nursery on a school site does not guarantee a Reception place; families still use the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for two-, three- and four-year-olds, alongside paid sessions.

Baking and healthy-eating activities, outdoor learning experiences and sports training delivered by outside agencies carry optional weekly charges. Suncream has a separate optional weekly charge in summer. Families choose whether to opt into these costs at registration, making that decision part of the initial booking conversation.

• The length of the day. Even the full-day session ends at 3.15pm. Families needing care later in the afternoon should weigh that finish against their working hours.
• Optional weekly costs. Activities and summer suncream have opt-in charges. Consider which additions you want when agreeing the attendance pattern.
• Settling and daily essentials. On a visit, ask how the September 2022 home-visit approach works now, and what families should provide for meals and everyday care.

Northgate suits families seeking either morning or afternoon preschool attendance, as well as those wanting the full-day pattern ending at 3.15pm. Its strongest inspection examples connect children’s interests with purposeful tasks: dinosaur books introduce vocabulary, construction invites cooperation, and movement prepares hands for writing. The September 2022 Outstanding judgement gives those examples weight, while the shorter session choices give families a practical reason to consider it.