Clyst Valley Pre-School

An allotment, a covered deck and a village primary-school site give Clyst Valley Pre-School a clear identity. This is a preschool for children from 2 years 8 months to school age in Clyst St Mary, near Exeter. Its purpose-built building combines indoor play zones with a garden children can use daily. Growing plants adds something tangible to that setting: children help care for the allotment alongside staff.

At its 7 December 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), were making good progress. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision. The two improvement priorities concerned greater mathematical challenge for older children and more conversation during meals.

Morning, afternoon and full-day places run during term time, with an additional early bird option. A parent and community committee supports the preschool's charitable organisation, while the manager and staff handle its daily operation. Families therefore have a route into supporting the setting as well as using its childcare.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning and care: children develop through play, exploration and activities that build communication, independence and early learning. Here, the indoor layout gives those experiences recognisable spaces. A home corner supports imaginative play; messy play and small world play have their own areas, alongside a story corner and space for literacy and numeracy.

In December 2022, books were woven into the routine. Adults shared stories twice daily, children could settle with a book after lunch, and individual book bags let them borrow a story to enjoy with their families.

Other December 2022 activities combined practical handling with early thinking skills. Children used tweezers to move pom-poms onto numbered Christmas trees, bringing counting and hand control together. A guessing game involving objects concealed in foil encouraged children to describe what they could feel. Winter animal scenes introduced habitats, seasonal change and hibernation. These were concrete starting points for number, language and understanding the world.

The mathematical activity also exposed a limitation. In December 2022, some older children completed it easily, and adults did not consistently take their thinking further. Recognising numbers and finishing a task are different from receiving enough challenge. That distinction matters for a child who already counts confidently and needs a more demanding next step.

Outdoor and Community Life

Daily outdoor access is supported by a covered deck and an enclosed garden with tarmac and artificial grass. The mix gives children space outside across the seasons, rather than making outdoor play depend entirely on a dry lawn. Fundraising enabled the creation of the allotment in 2024; children and staff now tend it together, making growing and caring for plants part of the offer.

In December 2022, children created an imaginary road outdoors and cycled along it. Adults also led yoga, with balancing poses giving children opportunities to practise concentration and body control.

Family occasions include an annual nativity, sports day and graduation performances. These give parents a chance to share in preschool life beyond daily conversations with staff. Other celebrations connect with projects, national occasions and visiting guests, while fundraising events bring families into supporting the setting's resources.

Relationships and Communication

In December 2022, a buddy key-person arrangement helped adults share information about individual children. That matters because knowledge of a child's needs should reach the adults supporting them, rather than remain with one practitioner. Children also practised everyday independence, including putting away their artwork and choosing resources for themselves.

Annual parents' evenings provide a scheduled opportunity to discuss development, and families can speak with staff at other times when a concern or question arises. The current team includes roles for wellbeing and mental health, curriculum leadership and one-to-one support, giving different responsibilities a clear place within the staff structure.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENDCo and deputy SENDCo are part of the team. Support involves working with speech and language therapists, portage services, children's centres and SEN advisory teachers. These are practical mechanisms for coordinating help around a child, rather than a general promise that one approach will fit everyone. Staff also have experience supporting families whose children use English as an additional language.

During December 2022, visual prompts helped children communicate their feelings, while stories opened conversations about emotions. Children discussed what made them angry, happy or sad, and adults helped them express those feelings positively. For a child who finds spoken explanations difficult, a visual way to communicate can provide another route into that conversation.

Safeguarding responsibilities include a designated lead and a deputy. The preschool participates in Operation Encompass, a police and education partnership that passes information about police-attended domestic abuse incidents to the setting's safeguarding team through the early years service. Its purpose here is to enable support for an affected child; notifications are handled as confidential safeguarding information. Staff training includes paediatric first aid, practical preparation for aspects of children's care.

Children bring their lunch from home, and the preschool's Healthy Eating Policy guides families on balanced packed lunches. Packing lunch is therefore part of the family's daily preparation.

Sessions and Attendance

Attendance follows the school terms, Monday to Friday. The morning session runs from 9.15am to 12.15pm, followed by the afternoon session from 12.15pm to 3.15pm; full-day attendance is also offered. Early bird runs from 8.45am to 9.15am each morning and requires advance booking. It is separately charged, so it belongs in the attendance budget as well as the timetable.

The contact form, telephone and email provide routes for enquiries and arranging visits.

Getting There

The address is Clyst St Mary Primary School, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, EX5 1BG. The location is at the junction of the A3052 towards Sidmouth and the A376 towards Exmouth, close to junction 30 of the M5.

Sharing the primary-school site has an educational connection, too: the preschool describes close links with Clyst St Mary Primary School, including occasional joint sessions with its foundation-stage children. The preschool is not affiliated with the school. Attending Clyst Valley Pre-School gives no admissions advantage at Clyst St Mary Primary School.

Funding and Paid Extras

Universal and 30 Hour Funding are accepted from the term following a child's third birthday, subject to the relevant entitlement conditions. Attendance is term-time, and additional sessions beyond funded hours are paid privately. Lunch comes from home for funded and privately paid attendance alike.

Fees are paid ahead of each half term, with invoices issued at the start of the term where applicable. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation; its funding and fees information explains the session and payment structure. Keeping funded hours, additional attendance and early bird separate makes the practical cost of a chosen pattern easier to understand.

• Term-time routine. Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance follow school terms, with early bird booked ahead. Match this pattern to your family's holiday and working arrangements before choosing it.
• Challenge and conversation. The December 2022 improvement priorities concerned older children's mathematics and talk during meals. On a visit, ask how staff now extend confident counters and involve children in lunchtime conversation.
• Packed lunches and care items. Families prepare lunch under the Healthy Eating Policy. On a visit, discuss how the Healthy Eating Policy applies to your child's packed lunch.
• A shared site, separate admissions. Occasional activities with Clyst St Mary Primary School can introduce children to school experiences. Preschool attendance gives no admissions advantage, so assess the preschool and Reception application separately.

Clyst Valley Pre-School suits families seeking term-time morning sessions, afternoon sessions or full-day attendance for a child approaching school age. Its strongest practical attractions are the daily garden access, covered deck, hands-on allotment and indoor spaces for stories, imaginative play and early learning. Annual family events and the volunteer committee give parents ways to participate beyond the childcare timetable.

The December 2022 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with clear learning priorities to explore on a visit. Packed lunches, term-time attendance and separate school admissions are central to the decision. For families comfortable with that model, this is a preschool with a recognisable village setting and useful connections between indoor play, growing outdoors and family involvement.