St Andrews Pre-School

Woodland sessions at Bridport Primary School and a parent-led committee give St Andrews Pre-School a recognisable community character. Children can choose outdoor play throughout their sessions, while a separate room provides space for quieter activities. This is a setting where practical independence, conversation and play shape the day.

St Andrews welcomes children from 2 years to 4 years 11 months and has 36 places in total. Its address is St Andrew's Road, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3BJ. At its 17 January 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective.

Morning, afternoon and all-day bookings operate during term time.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for seven areas of development, with play and children's interests shaping how learning happens. Alongside it, In the Moment Planning means staff extend activities while children are curious and involved.

Sessions begin with children choosing activities, with stories, snacks and further play following. Children use Room 1 for self-registration. These routines give them small responsibilities within a familiar day, while the outdoor area remains open so they can choose between indoor and outdoor play.

In January 2024, learning included practical problems with no immediate adult solution. Children adjusted displaced guttering so balls could travel into a pit again, handling the pipes themselves. Another example involved choosing between different games: children proposed taking turns so everyone's choice could be included. Both activities made problem-solving tangible, through equipment and through negotiation.

Books also extended play in January 2024. While children used construction vehicles in sand, an adult introduced vocabulary about the machinery and linked it to their toys. A child explaining a board game to others provided another opportunity to practise clear speech. Language was being used for a purpose, rather than confined to a separate lesson.

In January 2024, improving children's attention and learning during large-group activities was the improvement priority. Targeted bucket time was also used to help particular children concentrate for longer.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School adds regular experiences in the wooded grounds at Bridport Primary School. Its outdoor approach uses manageable tasks to develop confidence and independence, with activities here including climbing, collecting and making dens. The frequency is regular rather than a fixed weekly promise.

Sessions continue across different weather conditions, so children need waterproof outerwear, suitable layers and wellington boots. Spare items can be borrowed.

The wider organisation is equally rooted in family involvement. A volunteer committee, mainly made up of parents whose children attend, manages this non-profit charity. Its work includes budgeting, fundraising and policy review, alongside support for staffing and communication. Parents can also help during sessions and accompany walks, giving involvement a practical form beyond attending meetings.

Relationships and Communication

An introductory play session introduces children to their key person before regular attendance, alongside an evening for parents. A home visit can be arranged on request, and parents may remain while their child settles.

The key person continues as the link between home and pre-school, observing development and keeping records. A Learning Journey brings together children's work, photographs and observations, with parents able to contribute their own comments. It goes home when a child leaves. The value is continuity: experiences at home can sit alongside what practitioners observe during sessions.

Termly progress appointments are offered with the key person and SENCO, and informal conversations are also possible. Families are encouraged to share changes such as a new sibling or a house move, so staff can understand the circumstances around a child's behaviour and development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support begins with a parental questionnaire and ongoing observation, followed by discussion with the SENCO when a need is identified. An Individual Plan is developed with parents and the key person, setting out steps for support and receiving a review each term or sooner when necessary. With parental consent, other professionals can contribute, including Speech and Language Therapists and a Best Start in Life advisor.

At the January 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND made excellent progress from their individual starting points, supported by cooperation between parents, key persons, the SENCO and other professionals.

Wellcomm is used to screen children for speech and language support needs. Signalong, a communication system combining signs with speech and other expressive cues, is being introduced to support communication. These additions have specific purposes: identifying where help may be needed and providing another way for children to express themselves.

The physical environment includes a ramp, broad doorways with low thresholds and accessible toilets at child height. A separate quiet room has acoustic panelling, while sensory resources can support calming, movement or attention. Before a child with SEND starts, parents and staff review the environment together so adjustments can respond to that child's needs.

Practitioners have training in safeguarding and paediatric first aid. Prescribed medication can be stored and administered with written parental permission, with further staff training where required.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; school holidays and bank holidays are closures. MORNING SESSION runs from 8.30am to 11.30am, while AFTERNOON SESSION starts at noon.

There are also MORNING & LUNCH bookings from 8.30am to noon and LUNCH & AFTERNOON bookings starting at 11.30am. ALL DAY runs from 8am to 3.30pm, and EARLY DROP OFF covers 8am to 8.30am. The minimum commitment is two sessions across two days each week, intended to help children settle and allow their key person to support them consistently.

Applications are made using a completed form, after which children join the waiting list. September is the main annual intake, with staggered starts possible to help children settle. Before a new term, staff contact families about the sessions requested. This is a booking procedure, not a promise of a place.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare is accepted for 38 weeks each year, within the term-time offer. Parents are responsible for obtaining the necessary eligibility codes. Additional paid sessions are offered, and Tax-Free Childcare payments are accepted; invoices are issued termly, with payment spread over shorter intervals if preferred.

Snacks attract a separate session charge, which families can decline by supplying their own portions; options include vegetables, fruit, bread, cheese and crackers, with milk or water to drink. Lunchboxes are stored in the hallway fridge, and parents supply nappies and wipes when their child needs them.

Getting There

There is no dedicated parking: families can use St Andrews Road or the Co-Op car park. A small sheltered outdoor area can hold pushchairs during attendance.

Preparation for school includes visits from Reception teachers during the preceding term and a written handover covering development, preferences and useful support strategies. Children also visit their next schools, while those needing additional support can have enhanced transition meetings and extra visits. The use of Bridport Primary School's facilities helps familiarise children who subsequently attend there; it does not establish an admissions entitlement.

• Term-time fit. School holidays and bank holidays are closures, and attendance must cover at least two days each week. Consider both the holiday gap and that minimum commitment when choosing a pattern.
• Group attention. Improving large-group activities was the January 2024 priority. During a visit, ask how staff now organise these sessions and help children stay involved.
• Outdoor preparation. Regular Forest School sessions involve activity in different weather conditions. Plan for waterproof clothing and boots, with borrowed spare items an option.
• The complete cost. Snacks are charged separately unless supplied from home, and nappies and wipes come from parents. Request a current written quotation that separates paid attendance from funded hours and any additional charges.

St Andrews suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon attendance as well as those using all-day bookings. Its strongest practical combination is outdoor choice, regular woodland activity and a clearly described route for individual support. The parent committee also gives families a direct role in running the setting.

The January 2024 picture included purposeful play and an improvement priority around group attention. For parents weighing this pre-school, the decision rests on how its shorter session options, outdoor expectations and holiday closures fit family life.