Crawley Green & Wenlock Pre-School

A pirate ship outdoors and children pouring their own drinks: Crawley Green & Wenlock Pre-School gives everyday independence a practical shape. This charity-run setting in Luton combines play children can choose for themselves with group learning adapted to their development. Its character lies in those details.

At its September 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Outstanding and found safeguarding effective. Communication was a central thread: in September 2024, staff used pictures, communication boards and speech to help children understand activities and expectations.

The pre-school accepts children aged two to five and has capacity for 39 children in total. It operates during term time, with preschool opening hours of 9am to 3pm and breakfast and after-school provision extending the working day.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS connects learning, development and care, including children's communication, movement and social skills. Here, the curriculum draws on birth to five matters and development matters, with a sequence of skills that key workers adapt to each child's pace. These are planning resources alongside the EYFS, rather than a replacement for it. Families can explore the structure through the curriculum information.

Nurture and Extension Group time provides different starting points for shared learning. The nurture group includes two-year-olds, children learning English as an additional language and children with additional needs, with a brief story and targeted activity. The extension group uses stories and activities to build on what children already understand.

Dough disco is an example of an activity staff may plan: using dough and music to practise finger control for drawing and writing. Cooking is another practical strand, with an aim to offer it at least every other week. Measuring, discussing weight and time, and using small hand movements connect learning to something children can make.

In September 2024, staff shaped activities around their knowledge of individual children and used assessment to identify where extra practice was needed. Communication boards and photographs helped children take part alongside spoken explanations. The day therefore had several ways into learning, including for children who could not yet rely on speech alone.

Outdoor and Everyday Independence

The climbing frame and pirate ship give outdoor movement a clear purpose: children practise different ways of moving and begin to judge risks. They can choose between indoor and outdoor play, and wetsuits support outdoor activity in wet weather. For a child who learns best through movement, that choice matters.

Snack Bar is also an exercise in doing things for oneself. Children take a butterfly marker to the bar, choose cups and plates, pour milk or water and select fruit or vegetables. The routine links making a choice with carrying it out, rather than having every step done by an adult.

Independently accessible art materials allow painting, model-making and collage. Computers, cameras, beebot and an interactive smart board add another set of tools for exploration. The balance is useful: children have physical materials to manipulate as well as technology to investigate, with adults available to help.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who handles induction and gathers information about their strengths and needs. Parents complete a child-information form and discuss how to support the transition. That gives staff a starting point rooted in the individual child, rather than a single settling routine for everyone.

In September 2024, settling began with home visits where staff played with children; photographs from those visits were then used to comfort children who became upset at preschool. Familiar images connected home and the setting. Staff also helped children work through disagreements by reminding them of ways to resolve disputes themselves.

Development books bring together photographs, observations and individual plans, and parents can see them whenever they wish. Termly consultations provide a scheduled conversation, while telephone calls, email and communication books offer alternatives for parents unable to attend. Newsletters arrive at least once each half term.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SENCO works with the key person and parents on Individual Educational Plans, using observations and information from other professionals. Reviews usually take place at six-week intervals, with parents involved in setting new targets. Visual timetables can help children understand routines, and equipment may be lent for practice at home where possible. The curriculum also uses a Luton Borough council SEN profile for children who find accessing the EYFS difficult.

At its September 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND made exceptional progress, supported by early identification, tailored strategies and close work with families.

In September 2024, children brushed their teeth on site with staff, using songs to guide the activity. Leaders also accessed charitable support for families needing food, clothing or toys. Personal care includes nappy changing, so toilet independence is not the only starting point for participation.

School preparation also had a practical basis in September 2024: leaders exchanged information with teachers and used it in curriculum planning. This was preparation for the next stage, rather than an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Beaconsfield Road, Beaconsfield, Luton, LU2 0RW. Preschool opens from 9am to 3pm during term time; the breakfast and after-school clubs cover the wider window from 7.45am to 5pm. After-school club runs from 3pm to 5pm, and breakfast is served until 8.20am. Holiday and training-day closures need to fit the family's working calendar.

Breakfast & Afterschool Club serves preschool children and children attending Crawley Green Infant School and Wenlock Junior School. For the school-age breakfast provision, staff escort children to their associated school. The service helps families coordinate preschool and school care, but attending preschool does not guarantee a school place: families still use the local authority admissions process.

Applications are made using the preschool or club application form. The online process requires email confirmation before the completed form reaches the setting, which then acknowledges receipt. Children can be added to the waiting list before they are old enough to attend. Enquiries can be made on 01582 727651 or by email at crawleygreen@btinternet.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded provision includes two-year-old deprivation and working-families funding, nursery education funding and the 30-hour childcare scheme. Delivery is term-time. The 30-hour funding window is 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and excludes clubs. The scheme allocates a maximum of 10 places on a first-come, first-served basis. That distinction matters if the family's care requirement starts before preschool opens or continues after it closes.

Additional preschool hours and club attendance are charged separately. Advance booking affects club charges, and club fees are payable monthly in advance. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Term-time coverage. Preschool and clubs operate during term time, with holiday and training-day closures. Compare the calendar with your working pattern, including days when school is closed but you still need care.
• Funding and clubs. The 30-hour scheme applies only between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, excluding club care. Keep preschool funding and any before- or after-preschool booking separate when planning the arrangement.
• Settling and support. Home visits were part of settling in September 2024, while the current induction arrangements centre on the key person and parental information. At a visit, discuss how these would work for your child and how any individual targets would be reviewed.
• Food and personal-care planning. Children choose food and drinks at Snack Bar, and the setting undertakes nappy changing. What lunch, allergy arrangements and supplies such as nappies or wipes should your family plan for, and which carry an additional charge?

Crawley Green & Wenlock suits families seeking term-time preschool alongside breakfast or after-school care, including households coordinating younger children with school-age siblings. The practical attractions are clear: adaptable group learning, outdoor choice, opportunities to manage everyday tasks and several ways for parents to stay involved.

The September 2024 Outstanding judgement adds substantial weight, especially alongside the detailed support arrangements. The main decision is practical fit: term-time closures and the separation between funded preschool hours and paid clubs must work for the household. For families whose routines match that structure, this is a compelling preschool to consider.