The Community Pre-School

Parents have a direct role in running The Community Pre-School: this West Hallam charity is led by a parent committee, elected annually and meeting monthly. That gives family involvement a practical purpose, with opportunities to help shape the setting as well as take part in children's play.

The pre-school welcomes children from two years onwards and has 24 places in total. Its home is The Community Centre on Station Road. At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall, with the same judgement across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.

Morning and afternoon sessions form the attendance offer. The combination of a key person system, opportunities for parents to join sessions and links with local schools makes relationships a useful starting point for understanding this pre-school.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning here, covering language, physical development, early mathematics and children's personal development alongside literacy, creativity and understanding the world. Children learn through play, with an approach that aims to accommodate both adventurous exploration and quieter time in their own space. For parents, the emphasis is on how a child participates and develops, as well as what activities they try.

In July 2023, play dough cakes provided a concrete introduction to numbers: children counted their creations and explored subtraction as they distributed them to friends. Books prompted discussion of characters and events, while singing and group quizzes gave children opportunities to listen, remember and contribute. Questions about sea creatures brought octopus and jellyfish into the conversation. These examples connect early learning with activities children can understand and enjoy.

There was a clear limitation alongside that breadth. In July 2023, staff needed to extend their exchanges with children to develop problem-solving further. Counting and recalling information were evident; helping children develop their thinking remained an improvement priority. This is a useful distinction for parents interested in how practitioners respond once a child has mastered the first step of an activity.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor learning had a tangible purpose in July 2023. Children visited an allotment, grew vegetables and dug for potatoes, using tools and developing coordination through the work involved. A climbing frame offered another physical challenge, with staff questions helping children work out how to position their bodies safely. Both examples gave movement a task to accomplish.

During the same period, regular contact with a local care home brought children together with older people. Boogie Beats sessions involved shared physical activities, giving that community connection something active to do together. The value lay in participation and contact across generations, with children spending time with people beyond their usual pre-school group.

Travelling Ted extends the connection between home and pre-school. Families can take Ted on a holiday, a day out or an adventure at home, and are invited to share photographs afterwards. It gives parents a specific way to contribute something from family life to the setting.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who follows their development through observation and contact with parents. That creates a clear relationship for sharing what a child is learning and how they are getting on. The arrangement gives parent communication a named role, rather than leaving it as a general intention.

Parents Come and Play! invites families to join a session, either helping staff or playing with children, using a rota in the hallway. Committee membership provides a further route into the life of the pre-school. These are different kinds of involvement: one concerns children's experiences in a session, while the other concerns how the charity is run.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, were supported to progress, that relationships helped children settle, and that safeguarding arrangements were effective. Those are dated judgements about the provision at that time.

In July 2023, staff helped children practise kindness and consideration: children responded to an upset friend with a hand or a hug. Group activities and stories also developed listening and turn-taking in preparation for school. The staff team then comprised seven childcare practitioners, six of whom held early years qualifications at level 3 or above.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9.05am to 12.05pm, Monday to Friday; Wednesday morning carries the Rising 3’s label. Afternoon sessions run from 12.05pm to 3.05pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. These separate session windows matter when matching attendance to a family's working hours or other commitments.

In July 2023, the setting operated during term time only. The pre-school can be contacted by telephone on 07563 033360 or by email at admin@thecommunitypreschool.co.uk. There is also a contact form for enquiries.

Getting There

The address is The Community Pre-School, The Community Centre, Station Road, West Hallam, Derbyshire, DE7 6GX. This is the West Hallam setting near Ilkeston.

Funding and Paid Extras

From the term after a child's third birthday, funding is offered for up to 15 hours a week; up to 30 hours a week can also be offered if the child qualifies for Government 30-hour funding. Funding is also offered for some two-year-olds. Families claiming the 30 hours must renew their code every three months and pass it to staff.

Private sessions are charged per session, and there is a one-off registration charge. For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation. The sessions and fees page sets out the session-based charging structure.

The pre-school describes strong links with local schools in West Hallam and surrounding areas as part of preparation for moving on. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a place at a local school.

• Developing children's thinking. Problem-solving was the improvement priority in July 2023. On a visit, ask how staff now extend an activity once a child can count, recall or complete its first stage.
• The session timetable. Wednesday has a Rising 3’s morning, while afternoon sessions run on four other weekdays. Discuss how the session labels and attendance pattern would fit your child's stage and your family routine.
• Funded attendance and extras. The offer includes conditional funded hours alongside paid sessions and a registration charge. What would your proposed pattern include for meals, snacks and non-food consumables?
• Parent participation. A monthly parent committee and Parents Come and Play! create practical opportunities to contribute. Consider whether joining sessions or taking a committee role appeals to your family.

The Community Pre-School suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions and an active role in a community setting. Its key person system and concrete opportunities for parent involvement give that character substance. The July 2023 picture also included purposeful outdoor activity and contact with older members of the community.

The decision deserves attention to both the timetable and the development of children's thinking. Problem-solving is the specific teaching point to explore; the separate session windows are the practical point to match to family life.