Dragonflies Preschool

A classroom with a covered outdoor area, access to school grounds and lunch in the school hall gives Dragonflies Preschool a clear connection to the next stage of childhood. Based at St. Marys Catholic Primary School on Lyme Road in Axminster, it combines preschool play with opportunities to become familiar with a school setting. The canopy matters: outdoor play need not depend entirely on dry weather.

Dragonflies has 24 places in total and takes children from age two, including three and four-year-olds. At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective. The strongest practical attractions are its outdoor space, an allocated key person and the Famly learning journal, which lets parents see and contribute to their child's learning.

Attendance is term-time, with morning, lunch-inclusive and longer daytime patterns.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS sets the common expectations for early education and care: children develop language, relationships and physical skills alongside early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding of their surroundings. Dragonflies puts these areas into a day that mixes child-chosen play with activities organised by adults. The framework is the starting point, not an extra programme unique to this preschool.

Circle time includes songs and discussion about the weather and day of the week. Weather permitting, outdoor movement or a morning run follows. Cooking, music, woodland exploration and art give children practical and creative ways to participate.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff used their knowledge of children to plan further learning and support development, but asked them to give children longer to consider questions before answering. Children need time to develop their own answers.

In November 2023, play included making tracks from playdough to fit toy cars and comparing those cars by speed and size. Another example began with children washing vehicles outdoors, then developed into a pretend car wash with adult help. Both show how an ordinary interest can become an opportunity to experiment, compare and contribute ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

The end classroom has sheltered outside space. Access to other school grounds depends on their use by school children, so these additional spaces are shared.

Afternoons combine play indoors and outdoors, with occasional visits to a residential care home, the park or the trim trail. These outings take learning beyond the classroom and introduce children to people and places in their community.

In November 2023, children moved between the playroom and outside, explored the grounds and gathered natural materials for imaginative play. Community experiences also included joining activities with community centre members and visiting the local museum. Natural materials extended imaginative play.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who acts as the family's main contact and helps plan care and learning. Settling is agreed with parents, with shorter visits used where a child needs time to build up to their booked hours. The settling policy rejects leaving a distressed child to cry as a way of speeding up the process, while also allowing the preschool to decline attendance where separation causes significant distress.

Famly is an online learning journal containing observations and images of children's work and experiences. Parents can add their own observations and communicate with staff, so learning at home can inform the preschool's picture of the child. During settling, messages and photographs provide updates; parents can also telephone. The key person discusses initial learning steps with the family within the first four to six weeks.

Book bags carry reading books from the preschool's home-reading library, drawings and practical messages between home and preschool. This gives shared reading a place in everyday family routines. In November 2023, staff also used family photographs to comfort children who needed reassurance and helped children practise resolving disagreements.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENCO coordinates support for special educational needs. The approach moves through assessment, planning, action and review, with parents involved in decisions and external agencies brought in where appropriate. The behaviour policy adds a practical method: the ABC method records what happened before a behaviour, the behaviour itself and what followed, helping staff and parents identify triggers and plan support.

Personal care is supported by toilets beside the preschool room and a separate private changing area nearby. Children learning to use the toilet can receive help through their key person. For ongoing medical needs, parents contribute to a risk assessment and an individual health plan; medicine administration requires written parental permission and is recorded.

Staff training is encouraged, with Early Years Advisory Team support. A designated safeguarding lead and deputy handle concerns.

Sessions and Attendance

Dragonflies operates on weekdays during term time, for 38 weeks of the year, at St. Marys Catholic Primary School, Lyme Road, Axminster, EX13 5BE. Its three main booking patterns begin at 8.45am: the three-hour morning ends at 11.45am, the five-hour session finishes at 1.45pm and the six-hour session ends at 2.45pm.

A later finish extends attendance from 2.45pm to 3.25pm and is paid separately, outside childcare funding. Children must attend at least two sessions on different days. The minimum establishes a regular weekly routine.

Applications are handled on a first-come basis once the application and deposit have been received. The deposit is refunded through the first invoice after the child starts. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email, with the child's date of birth and proposed starting date included in an email enquiry.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the universal 15-hour entitlement, working entitlements of up to 30 hours for eligible families, and targeted funding for eligible two-year-olds. Delivery is term-time. Working entitlement claims require an approved code and continued reconfirmation; hours that cannot be claimed because eligibility or reconfirmation lapses become payable by parents.

Private hours are charged separately from funded attendance. Snacks and preschool-supplied consumables attract a termly charge, including alongside funded hours; families also supply nappies and wipes for children who need changing. Parents provide a packed lunch, eaten in the school hall, while snacks are supplied by the preschool.

Fees are payable in advance, and booked attendance remains payable during illness or holidays. Four weeks' notice is required to withdraw or reduce hours, with booked hours invoiced or funding claimed during that period. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the sessions and fees page explains the attendance and funding structure.

Getting There and Moving On

There is no parking at the school; nearby options include the Flamingo Pool and surrounding streets. That makes the final part of a car journey a practical consideration when accompanying a young child.

Dragonflies describes strong links with St Mary’s Primary School, where many of its children subsequently attend. Preschool attendance does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Familiarity with the school setting supports transition, but should be kept separate from the admissions decision.

• Term-time family routine. Attendance covers 38 weeks, with at least two sessions on different days. Weigh the morning, lunch-inclusive and longer patterns against your weekly routine and holiday childcare needs.
• Time to think. The November 2023 improvement point concerned allowing children longer to answer questions. During a visit, ask how staff now balance conversation, questioning and time for children to form their own responses.
• Settling at your child's pace. Shorter settling visits and Famly updates are part of the approach, but significant separation distress can affect acceptance. Discuss how the key person would build up attendance for your child.
• Costs beyond funded hours. Snacks and preschool-supplied consumables are charged separately alongside funded attendance; the later finish cannot use funding. Request a written quotation showing how these charges apply to your proposed pattern.

Dragonflies suits families seeking regular term-time preschool, whether that means mornings or sessions continuing through lunch and into the afternoon. Covered outdoor play, shared school grounds and a key person linked to family communication give the offer its character.

The Good judgement from November 2023 supports consideration, with a clear teaching improvement point to discuss. The strongest match is a family that values play, outdoor experiences and familiarity with school life, and can accommodate term-time attendance and the separately paid later finish.