Building Bricks Pre-school Swanland

A Scout Hut base, an enclosed playground and neighbouring playing fields give Building Bricks Pre-school Swanland a clear outdoor character. This is a preschool with space for movement alongside quieter creative play, rather than a day built entirely around one indoor room. At its July 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall and Outstanding for behaviour and attitudes.

There are 40 places in total for children aged 24 to 60 months. The setting sits beside Swanland’s village play park, with access to community playing fields extending the possibilities beyond its own playground. Indoor spaces include a craft room.

Half-day and full-day attendance are both offered during term time. A key person supports each child, while FAMLY gives families a way to contribute experiences from home as well as follow progress. The combination suits parents who want a preschool routine with a continuing conversation about their child’s development.

Rooms and Ages

The craft room provides an indoor space alongside the enclosed outdoor playground and access to nearby playing fields.

Small key groups provide an organising structure: children build familiarity with their key person and peers, while some adult-led activities happen individually or in smaller groups. For families, the useful distinction is between the physical spaces children use and the relationships that organise their day.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children learn through play, conversation, movement and practical activities. Planning draws on children’s interests and ongoing observations, so the next activity can build on something a child already enjoys or understands.

A familiar daily sequence mixes children’s own play with adult-led activities. Stories, outdoor play and snack breaks sit alongside group work involving language or numbers; singing, movement and instruments add further ways to participate. Children staying all day have lunch followed by outdoor play, while morning-only children have a small-group activity at that point. That distinction makes the two attendance patterns more than different collection times.

Moo Music, an interactive programme combining instruments, songs, dance and imaginative play, visits at least once per term. Additional music sessions also run several times each term. These involve listening, moving and storytelling, giving children ways to join in that do not depend solely on spoken answers.

Outdoor and Community Life

Eco Ted turns environmental activities into something families can share. The cuddly companion goes home with a different child each week, and children bring back accounts of activities such as recycling, planting or caring for nature. It connects home experiences with discussion among friends, rather than leaving environmental learning as an isolated preschool activity.

The enclosed playground provides an outdoor base, and the nearby playing fields add space for exploration and physical activities. In July 2022, children used bicycles on a marked track and tackled an obstacle course; they also explored quantities through water play and counted an insect’s legs. Those examples show how movement, observation and early mathematics were combined at that time.

The annual calendar includes Christmas singing and party activities, Easter Bonnets, and a summer Sports day. Graduation marks the move to school. Videos of sing-along events reach families through FAMLY, while relatives are invited to the sports and end-of-year events, creating different ways to take part.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who maintains contact with parents and supports their learning and wellbeing. FAMLY carries updates and achievement records, and parents can add moments from home for staff to build on. A termly overview brings recent development together, giving families a broader picture alongside the individual updates.

Settling support includes stories and other resources addressing a child’s particular worries. In July 2022, key persons varied the reassurance they gave according to children’s emotional needs. That individual response matters for a child who needs more than a standard settling routine.

Preparation for school includes meetings with schools in the preceding term, a Transition Report shared with parents and the receiving school, and Transition Booklets for children. These arrangements make the move a shared process, with information travelling alongside the child.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described individualised SEND support, with staff reviewing children’s needs and interests and working successfully with others on school transitions. Current arrangements include a SENCO role and discussions with parents and involved agencies before a child with known additional needs starts, including consideration of extra resources or staff.

Staff undertake continuing training, including paediatric first aid, food safety and safeguarding, and use team meetings and daily discussions to share information. A child protection lead role provides a defined responsibility within the team. These are concrete arrangements; the dated safeguarding judgement remains the inspection position.

In July 2022, staff checked children’s comfort after messy activities and supported awareness of rest and hydration following exercise. Healthy snacks and water were part of the day then, and dietary needs received attention. The same visit identified scope for children to do more themselves at meals and during handwashing, so independence deserves attention alongside attentive adult care.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool’s address is The Scout Hut, West Wold, West Leys Road, Swanland, HU14 3LX. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; it closes for school holidays. Half-day and full-day sessions provide two attendance options.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 01482 632198. The preschool asks callers to avoid 9.00–9.20am and 12.00–12.20pm because these are busy periods.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education is offered, including 30 hours of working parent funding and 15 hours of funding for eligible children from the term after their third birthday. Working parent funding requires an application through HMRC. Attendance follows the term-time calendar, so this is a preschool pattern to match against family working arrangements.

Paid childcare is also offered. Fees are invoiced monthly through FAMLY, absences receive no refund, and a registration charge applies to each child. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation. The absence rule matters for the family budget because a missed booked day still carries its charge.

• Challenge and independence. In July 2022, adults sometimes missed chances to extend learning for younger and more able children, including making an easy obstacle course harder; they also sometimes took over tasks children could attempt. On a visit, ask how staff now extend activities and support children to manage meals and handwashing themselves.
• Term-time coverage. Both half-day and full-day attendance follow the term-time calendar, with closure during school holidays. Families needing care across the year will need to account for those breaks.
• The complete funded-place cost. A registration charge and the no-refund rule form part of the payment structure. When discussing a funded booking, ask how meals, snacks and non-food consumables are handled within the written quotation.

Building Bricks Pre-school Swanland suits families seeking either half-day preschool attendance or full-day care during term time, with outdoor space and regular opportunities to share learning from home. Eco Ted and Moo Music give that offer recognisable character, while key-person contact and school transition work provide continuity around the activities.

The July 2022 judgement provides a positive inspection foundation, especially for behaviour, but its requests for greater challenge and independence remain useful questions for a visit. The strongest fit is a family that values creative play, movement and close communication, and can work with a school-holiday closure pattern.