Windmills Pre-School

A preschool on primary-school grounds, with free Stay and Play sessions for children and their carers, gives Windmills a clear starting point: play, familiar relationships and preparation for the next stage. It occupies a portocabin behind Bembridge C of E Primary School on the Isle of Wight. The setting is charity-run and operates on a not-for-profit basis, with a voluntary board overseeing it alongside the preschool manager.

Windmills accepts children aged two to five and has 28 places in total. Ofsted rated it Good at its June 2023 inspection and judged safeguarding effective. That assessment provides a dated quality benchmark; the practical offer is term-time childcare, with opening hours extending to 4pm from Monday to Thursday and finishing at 3pm on Friday.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets out children's learning, development and care, with learning through play and first-hand experiences helping children develop their abilities. Windmills uses a key person system and adult support to plan around individual needs. Its emphasis on children making choices gives them an active part in their day.

In June 2023, children could choose between playing outdoors and indoors, and staff invited them to contribute ideas for the day's activities. This made choice tangible: children had opportunities to express preferences and act on them. Staff also adapted resources after observing play, including introducing different containers for water activities. The useful detail is the connection between observation and what children could explore next.

Small-group bucket time, an attention activity involving sensory toys with sounds and movement, featured in June 2023. Children watched with anticipation. Alongside this, building with small plastic blocks gave them challenges to persist with, while preparing strawberry and banana smoothies involved cutting fruit and thinking about handwashing. These were practical experiences with several purposes: handling tools, solving problems and taking responsibility for a task.

There was a teaching limitation too. In June 2023, staff did not consistently extend conversations during play to develop children's understanding further. Interesting resources alone do not do that work; the discussion around them matters. Improving those exchanges was one of the required next steps.

Outdoor and Community Life

In June 2023, outdoor reading included books, cushions and a tent in the garden. Reading could therefore happen beyond a whole-group gathering, with a garden reading space offering another way to engage with books. Children joined in with familiar stories, although larger story groups did not consistently hold their attention. Better organisation of those gatherings was the other improvement point.

Community experiences in June 2023 included charity visitors teaching water safety, with hats and uniforms used for role play. Children also visited a local care home for singing and other activities. These examples connected learning with people beyond the preschool, giving safety messages and social experiences a concrete setting.

Relationships and Communication

Stay and Play gives children a supported introduction to Windmills before they start. Parents or carers remain with them, and the sessions use resources suitable for younger children while allowing families to meet practitioners and other families. Sessions run during the week and are free. This is a useful settling mechanism because familiarity can begin while a trusted adult is still alongside the child.

Keyworkers are part of the current staff structure. In June 2023, children had close relationships with their key person, and practitioners knew their interests, strengths and next learning steps. Parents contributed their views and received ideas for supporting learning at home. Staff also directed families towards other services when support was needed, making communication about more than the activities completed that day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The staff structure includes a SENCO, deputy safeguarding lead and first aid lead, alongside a room lead and an outings lead. These are identifiable responsibilities within the team. The practitioners are professionally qualified, and Windmills also offers placements and mentoring for people training in early years.

At its June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff adapted learning successfully for children with SEND and that targeted language work supported good progress in communication. Examples from June 2023 included small-group language activities and technology toys chosen to encourage communication. These illustrate how support was delivered, rather than relying on a general promise of inclusion.

Everyday independence also featured in June 2023. Children waited their turn at snack time and practised mealtime manners; staff discussed hydration and food choices alongside practical food preparation. The emphasis was on children understanding and taking part in routines, as well as following them.

Sessions and Attendance

Windmills opens during term time. Opening hours are 8.30am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am to 3pm on Friday. That Friday difference matters when arranging a working week, and term-time operation needs to fit the family's holiday childcare plans.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email or by telephone on 01983 873575. Free Stay and Play sessions are booked by telephone.

Getting There

The address is Bembridge Primary School, Walls Road, Bembridge, PO35 5RH; Windmills occupies the portocabin behind the school. Sharing the school site does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Windmills offers funding for two-year-olds and children aged three and four, including 15 and 30 hours, within its term-time operation. Eligibility conditions apply. Families should obtain a current written quotation from the preschool for paid childcare and any associated charges.

• Teaching conversations and story groups. The June 2023 improvement points concerned extending children's understanding through discussion and keeping larger story groups engaged. At Stay and Play, ask how these aspects of practice now work.
• Term-time cover. The preschool operates during term time, with an earlier Friday finish. Families needing childcare through school holidays should weigh that pattern against their working arrangements.
• School-site expectations. Windmills shares the grounds of Bembridge C of E Primary School. Treat preschool attendance and the Reception application as separate decisions; attendance does not secure a school place.
• The full attendance cost. Funding is offered alongside a charges and fees schedule. Ask for a written breakdown covering the intended attendance pattern, meals, consumables and any joining charges before agreeing arrangements.

Windmills suits families seeking term-time preschool for a child aged two to five, with a parent-accompanied introduction through Stay and Play. Its appeal lies in that settling opportunity, the key person structure and a school-site base. The June 2023 assessment supports the choice, while its two teaching improvement points deserve attention. The decisive practical test is whether the opening hours, Friday finish and holiday pattern fit family life.