Early Birds, Night Owls & Appletree Pre-School

Tyres, logs and wooden planks became a child-built balance beam here in May 2025. That example captures the appeal of Early Birds, Night Owls & Appletree Pre-School: children had room to test an idea, work together and then turn their construction into imaginative play. Practical independence mattered too, from serving food to pouring drinks.

Ofsted rated the setting Outstanding on 15 May 2025, judging its education Outstanding and its safeguarding effective. Appletree's preschool offer starts at two and continues to rising five; the setting has 72 places in total, rather than a single group of that size. Its base is Windhill21 in Bishop's Stortford, on the Windhill Primary School site.

Morning, afternoon and full-day preschool sessions run during term time, alongside the separately named Early Birds breakfast and Night Owls after-school clubs.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage frames the preschool day around learning through play, physical activity, exploration and creative thinking, inside and outdoors. For parents, that means learning is woven into what children do with materials, conversations and movement, rather than confined to a seated task.

In May 2025, the curriculum built new learning on what children already understood. Adults planned around children's interests, abilities and backgrounds, while children could choose what to investigate next. The combination matters: having a choice did not mean being left to work everything out alone. Staff helped children develop their ideas.

A playdough activity brought together living plants and toy crocodiles. Adults introduced unfamiliar vocabulary, explained its meaning and allowed time for children to absorb it. This was a concrete example of conversation extending play, rather than simply naming the objects in front of a child.

Outdoor and Community Life

In May 2025, the garden offered a practical construction challenge. Children assembled a balance beam from tyres, timber logs and planks, discussing and testing their suggestions with one another. Adults encouraged them to keep trying when the construction proved difficult. Once built, it became both a balancing challenge and a starting point for pretend play.

That episode connects several parts of early learning in one activity: deciding how materials fit together, negotiating with another child and controlling movement. It is a useful picture of the setting's inspection-era teaching, more revealing than a list of equipment alone. Children were active participants in making the activity work.

Relationships and Communication

Settling begins with a home visit. On the preschool page that includes Appletree, the shared settling arrangements pair a keyworker's treasure basket and story sack with the All About Me booklet, which gathers a child's preferences. The practical purpose is clear: staff can start getting to know the child in familiar surroundings, with something to play with as well as information from the family.

Stay and play sessions then give parent and child time together at the setting before the child starts. These are complementary stages, first making contact at home and then becoming familiar with the preschool. The booklet gives parents a specific place to explain likes and dislikes rather than relying on a hurried introduction.

In May 2025, staff shared observations, assessments and proposed next steps with parents. Adults also recognised children's efforts and achievements, while children sought support from staff when they needed it. The daily relationship was built through encouragement and attention to what each child was doing.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its May 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that individually adjusted activities helped children needing additional support settle successfully and make rapid learning progress, while language teaching also supported children learning English as an additional language. This is evidence of responsive teaching at that visit, rather than a blanket promise about every future child's experience.

In May 2025, older children practised serving their own food and pouring drinks, while younger children received help to develop independence. The difference matters for families: self-care was approached as something children learn with support, with expectations adjusted to their stage of development.

Sessions and Attendance

Appletree operates Monday to Friday in term time. The morning session runs from 8.45am to 11.45am, the afternoon from noon to 3pm, and the full day from 8.45am to 3pm. Families can therefore choose a shorter preschool session or a day spanning both parts of the timetable.

At Windhill21, Early Birds Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am until school starts; Night Owls Afterschool Club runs from school finish until 6.30pm. These are school-day club arrangements, so their hours should be read separately from Appletree's preschool timetable.

Enquiries go through the contact form, email or the office telephone. Completed paperwork is required before a child is enrolled. This gives families a clear joining step beyond making an initial enquiry.

Getting There

The address is Windhill 21, Windhill Primary School, Windhill, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NE. Being on the school site does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2025, the setting provided funded early education for eligible children. Paid Appletree sessions are also offered; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, with session choices shown on its fees page.

Appletree children wear navy blue uniform. Comfortable bottoms that children can manage themselves for toileting are requested, and clothing needs to be labelled. That links the clothing choice to the same practical independence seen in the preschool day.

• Term-time timetable. Appletree's morning, afternoon and full-day sessions follow the school-term pattern. Families needing preschool care through the holidays should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.
• Settling in stages. A home visit and stay and play sessions form the preschool settling arrangements. At a visit, ask how those stages would be adapted to your child's response to separation.
• Funded-session costs. Funded early education was provided in May 2025. Ask which current entitlements apply and how meals and non-food consumables are handled within the proposed booking.
• School-site expectations. Appletree shares the Windhill Primary School address, but attendance does not secure a Reception place. Keep the school application separate from the preschool booking.

Appletree suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon preschool sessions as well as those wanting the full preschool day. Its strongest evidence is the May 2025 picture of children making choices, experimenting with substantial outdoor materials and learning practical independence with adult help.

The home visit, All About Me booklet and stay and play sessions give the settling process a recognisable shape. The school-site location is useful context, but the decision should rest on the preschool experience and timetable, with Reception admissions treated separately.