All Saints Preschool

A post box for children's names and time to follow their own ideas: All Saints Preschool has a recognisable play-led character. This charity-run preschool in Old Glossop accepts children aged two and a half to five years and has 18 places in total. Its scale is a useful starting point for families seeking a preschool rather than baby care.

Ofsted rated All Saints Preschool Good on 30 March 2023. That judgement came with two practical priorities: better information for parents about development, and better preparation and resources for adult-led activities. Both matter when assessing how a child's interests become learning and how that learning is shared at home.

Attendance is term-time, with morning and afternoon sessions and a lunchtime bridge for children attending both. The appeal lies in play, individual planning and a day that gives children opportunities to make choices.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage Guidelines shape planning, with children learning through play, exploration and problem-solving. Each child has a key worker who plans around their individual needs. The practical emphasis is on using children's own ideas as a starting point, rather than expecting everyone to follow an identical activity.

The routine makes that approach tangible. Children post their names into a post box before choosing something to do; free play then takes place indoors and outdoors, with key workers using observations and individual plans. A rolling snack arrangement lets children finish an activity before eating. These small choices give children some control over the rhythm of their session.

Group time brings singing, stories and games, alongside the week's phonic sound. Children also help put toys away and collect their belongings before home time. There is a balance between choosing independently and joining shared routines, with chances to practise language, cooperation and everyday tasks.

In March 2023, children explored a programmable toy and talked about how to move it around a map. Staff also used conversation to practise initial word sounds and counting. These examples show how play could carry specific learning: deciding where a toy should go gave children a reason to explain their thinking.

Adult involvement was less consistent elsewhere that March. Some children played alone for lengthy periods without staff joining their play, while some group activities had too few resources or materials beyond children's reach. Delayed responses to requests could also interrupt children's interest. The important distinction is between giving children independence and recognising when an adult can help their ideas develop.

Outdoor and Community Life

Indoor and outdoor play both feature in the daily routine. In March 2023, a child noticing a robin in the garden was encouraged to tell other children about it. That is a concrete example of an outdoor discovery becoming an opportunity to speak and share an experience, rather than outdoor time standing apart from learning.

Relationships and Communication

Individual planning sits with each child's key worker, giving families a clear role around which care and learning are organised. Staff work with health visitors and therapists, and have experience supporting medical needs, dietary requirements, disabilities and special educational needs. These are mechanisms for responding to a child, rather than a promise that every need can be met in the same way.

In March 2023, children approached staff confidently about toileting, and adults adjusted their help according to whether a child needed support or could try independently. Daily handovers were a useful part of communication, but some parents wanted a clearer account of their child's development. A pleasant conversation at collection and a meaningful update on learning serve different purposes.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and early intervention helpful, with support plans begun before referrals to outside agencies. The current staff structure includes a designated safeguarding officer and a designated SENCO, while staff receive training in food hygiene and first aid, alongside equal opportunities, health and safety, safeguarding and child protection.

Snack menus are approved by Henry, a children's healthy-eating scheme, and the local dental nurse, with preparation by staff trained in food hygiene. Fruit and vegetables are offered alongside water or milk; children staying for lunch bring a packed lunch in a labelled bag.

Sessions and Attendance

Church Street, Old Glossop, Glossop, SK13 7RJ is the preschool's address. Opening hours are 9am to 3.30pm on weekdays during term time.

Morning and afternoon attendance can be linked by a lunchtime session from noon to 12.30pm, for children taking both sessions. The lunchtime bridge is charged separately unless the child receives 30 hour funding, which can cover it. This distinction matters when planning a continuous day: lunchtime has its own arrangement rather than simply being part of either session.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form, and an application route is provided. The preschool also invites families to bring their child for a play visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded attendance includes up to 15 hours for children aged 3–5 years and sessions for children receiving 30 hour funding. Children aged two and a half may also qualify for funding, subject to eligibility. Provision operates during term time, so the attendance calendar matters alongside the number of funded hours.

Private sessions are charged where funding does not apply. A separate donation is requested for snacks, while parents supply the packed lunch for children staying at midday. The lunch-session charge covers attendance and has the funding exception described above; it should not be confused with a supplied meal. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation, and the funding and fees page explains the charge structure.

• Development updates. In March 2023, some parents wanted more information about their child's learning. During a play visit, ask to see how key-worker observations become updates that explain progress and next steps.
• Adult-led activities. The March 2023 improvement priorities included preparation and resources, alongside occasions when solitary play went unextended. Look at how staff join children's play and make activity materials accessible.
• Term-time attendance and lunch. Morning and afternoon sessions can be joined through the midday session, but its funding treatment depends on receiving 30 hour funding. Match the preschool calendar and lunchtime arrangement to the care pattern your family needs.

All Saints Preschool suits families seeking morning sessions, afternoon sessions or both with a lunchtime bridge, within a term-time calendar. Play-led planning, an individual key worker and access to outdoor activities give the offer a clear shape. The March 2023 Good judgement supports that picture, while communication about development and the quality of adult involvement deserve attention during a visit. For families choosing preschool care from two and a half, those practical details are more useful than size alone.