Breaston Pre-School CIO

Play, parent involvement and a secure outdoor area give Breaston Pre-School CIO its character. This charity in Breaston caters for children aged two to five, with a large indoor play space and opportunities for families to contribute to sessions and fundraising. It is a setting where parents can take an active part in preschool life.

At its January 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised effective support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The detail behind that judgement matters: conversations, books and practical outdoor play were strengths, while counting and opportunities for children to manage tasks independently needed more attention.

There are 50 places in total. Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns give families different ways to use the provision, within a term-time calendar.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning through play, covering children's communication, physical development, relationships and early understanding of subjects such as literacy and mathematics. Here, children choose activities themselves as well as joining experiences organised by practitioners. That gives them both room to pursue an interest and opportunities to try something an adult introduces.

Choosing an activity is followed by encouragement to stay with it and complete a task. Adult-led activities take place in smaller and larger groups, giving children experience of playing and working alongside others. Outdoor learning forms part of the same approach rather than a separate educational offer.

In January 2024, staff helped younger children develop sentences and encouraged older children to sustain conversations. Mixing herbs into playdough gave children something concrete to discuss. Language learning grew out of what they were doing.

Books also had a practical place in that day's learning. In January 2024, children listened to stories in a comfortable reading space, joined in with page turning and identified things in illustrations. A lending library extended that interest into reading with families at home. It made the connection between preschool and home tangible.

Mathematics was less consistently woven into play in January 2024. Staff sometimes missed chances to introduce counting or number recognition. This is a useful distinction for parents: a day full of interesting activities still needs adults to notice where a child's understanding can be extended.

Outdoor and Community Life

The secure outdoor play area complements the large indoor space. Fundraising has paid for sand and water tables and gardening equipment, giving outdoor play resources for exploration as well as movement.

In January 2024, older children used planks and crates to build a pretend ice-cream shop. Adults helped them think about keeping their construction stable and encouraged them to explain their ideas. Younger children practised balancing on beams, with reassurance and practical guidance from staff. These were different challenges for different stages of development.

Breaston Pre-School Fundraising Committee brings parents together each term to organise support for resources and equipment. Families can also join a session rota or share their interests and skills with children. Parent participation has a concrete role here, reaching beyond receiving updates.

Relationships and Communication

A key person works with each family on their child's needs and interests, helps with settling and remains involved throughout their time at preschool. The practical value is continuity: parents have someone with particular responsibility for understanding their child, rather than relying only on whoever happens to be nearby.

A family app shares observations and reports. Learning journeys bring together information about children's interests, experiences and achievements, with parents contributing what they notice at home. These observations help staff and families decide what to support next. Summaries are also used around transitions, including the move to school.

In January 2024, staff spent time getting to know children and offered attentive reassurance. Parents received digital updates and progress reports, helping them understand what their child was learning. These are dated observations of how the relationship worked in practice, alongside the current key-person and app arrangements.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and key person develop individual plans around a child's abilities and interests. Parents join regular reviews of targets and activities, so support can be adjusted rather than left unchanged. With parental consent, the SENCO can involve Speech and Language Therapists, Health Visitors and Early Years Inclusion Officers.

Settling arrangements for children with additional needs are tailored to the child. Children are accepted in nappies or pull-ups, allowing preschool attendance alongside developing toileting skills. Protective clothing is provided for messy play, while easy-to-manage everyday clothes support children in practising dressing and self-care.

Ready for School uses Derbyshire's school-readiness guidance to support conversations about skills such as taking turns, expressing needs, listening and managing clothing. These expectations apply to children developing typically for their age. The emphasis is on practical preparation for the next stage.

Staff hold relevant first-aid qualifications and undertake further training. Meals and snacks are shared social occasions; families are asked to disclose allergies and food intolerances so that dietary planning can take account of them.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool is at 2 Main Street, Breaston, Derby, DE72 3DX. It opens Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3.15pm, for 39 weeks each year, following Derbyshire County Council term dates. Families needing care during school holidays will need to plan around that calendar.

Morning sessions run from 9am to 11.30am and afternoons from 12.45pm to 3.15pm. A full day runs from 9am to 3.15pm. Lunch Club is a separate booking from 11.45am to 12.30pm, so it should be considered separately when choosing an attendance pattern.

After a place is offered, registration details are completed through Famly, the preschool's management software. For September starters, that registration link is sent during the summer. Ending a place requires at least four weeks' written notice.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, together with the 30-hour extended entitlement for eligible families. Paid attendance also forms part of the offer, with fees applying where funding is not received. Eligibility remains a condition of the relevant entitlement.

The April 2023 fee schedule separates the charge for snacks and food-based activities from session charges. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation. The registration and fees page also sets out monthly invoicing, with a weekly payment arrangement offered for families who prefer it.

• Counting and independence. In January 2024, teaching did not consistently extend number understanding, and adults sometimes completed tasks children could attempt themselves. On a show round, ask how counting is brought into play and how children are given time to try dressing or other self-care tasks.
• Term-time attendance. The 39-week calendar and 3.15pm closing time shape the care this preschool can provide. Those boundaries matter for families' working weeks and holiday arrangements.
• Food and personal supplies. The April 2023 schedule separates snack and food-activity charges. Ask for the current written breakdown of lunch, funded-session extras and items such as nappies and wipes; allergy-affected families should also confirm present dietary arrangements.

Breaston Pre-School CIO suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those wanting a full preschool day during term time. The secure outdoor space, opportunities for parent participation and individual support plans give its offer substance.

The January 2024 picture combined practical play and strong attention to language with clear work to do on counting and independence. For parents, the deciding fit is a preschool built around play and family involvement, within a day that ends at 3.15pm.