St Andrew's Pre-School

Feelings, friendships and everyday independence give St Andrew's Pre-School at Fairfield its character. The Under the Sea Class meets at Fairfield Community Hall on Western Road in Burgess Hill, within Fairfield Recreation Ground. This is the Fairfield setting, separate from the preschool's Cants Lane location, with 36 places in total.

At its February 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Outstanding and judged safeguarding effective. The detail behind that judgement matters: children explored local wildlife, practised making their names in the writing area and used a dedicated space to work through their feelings. Those observations belong to February 2022, rather than describing today's provision.

Current care arrangements include a key person for each child, individual settling sessions and a Fairfield SENCO who coordinates additional support. Morning, morning-with-lunch and full-day attendance run during term time, giving families different ways to fit preschool into their week.

Rooms and Ages

Under the Sea Class is the Fairfield group; Woodland and Safari belong to the separate Cants Lane setting. Keeping that distinction clear matters when choosing a location. In February 2022, the children attending Fairfield were aged two to four.

The Fairfield building has a substantial hall, additional meeting rooms and a kitchen. Its setting within Fairfield Recreation Ground gives the location a recognisable community-hall character. Daily movement activities take place indoors and outside, including balancing, riding, climbing and digging, so physical development has a practical place in the day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the learning framework: children develop language, movement, social skills and early understanding through play and everyday experiences. St Andrew's curriculum gives practical independence a clear emphasis alongside this common foundation. Children practise managing coats and shoes, recognising toileting needs and washing their hands; at mealtimes, they work on using utensils and pouring drinks. These are useful steps towards doing more for themselves.

Relationships receive similar attention. Familiar routines include circle time, snacks and tidying, while play gives children opportunities to take turns and cooperate. Staff help children put feelings into words and recognise emotions in other people. Conversations about families, pets and children's own interests connect learning with experiences they already understand.

In February 2022, books helped children investigate birds in their local surroundings. Early mathematics involved counting and comparing shapes and sizes, while the writing area gave children opportunities to experiment with marks for their names. These examples show how interests and ordinary play became starting points for learning at that time.

Physical activity was equally concrete in February 2022: children rode bikes and scooters, used hoops and played with balls. They also chose resources, prepared the snack table and dressed for outdoor activities. Independence was something children practised, rather than simply a goal adults discussed.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person, giving the family a consistent relationship through which to discuss routines, feelings and development. Before attendance begins, Fairfield gathers information about the child's interests, needs and any additional support. Settling sessions are tailored to help children become familiar with staff, activities and the setting's routines. That creates a starting point based on the individual child.

Tapestry, the online learning journal, connects home and preschool through observations, photographs, video and written updates. Parents can view their child's account and contribute their own observations. Fairfield also uses parent meetings, emails, newsletters and everyday conversations, so communication includes opportunities for discussion as well as updates to read.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Assess, Plan, Do, Review is Fairfield's staged approach to additional needs: staff identify a need, plan support, put it into practice and review progress. The SENCO works with families and key persons on targeted plans and outcomes. Depending on the child, adaptations can include visual timetables, now-and-next boards, adjusted activities and quiet spaces. These are specific mechanisms families can discuss, rather than a general promise of inclusion.

Communication support includes Makaton signing, visual aids and individual plans; staff also have training in PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Where appropriate, staff involve speech and language therapists, health visitors or educational psychologists. At the February 2022 inspection, Ofsted found exceptional support for children with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, including work with outside professionals and effective use of additional funding to address learning gaps.

Emotional support today includes stories, group conversations and consistent routines that help children express and understand feelings. In February 2022, children also used a self-regulation area and recognised when friends needed comfort. For medical needs, Fairfield develops individual health care plans with parents covering medication, symptoms, triggers and emergency responses. Staff have paediatric first-aid training.

The building itself needs careful consideration for families with mobility needs. Each entrance has a step, wheelchair access requires a ramp, and there are no accessible toilets or changing facilities. Personalised learning support and physical accessibility are separate questions here.

Sessions and Attendance

Attendance runs for 38 weeks during term time. Full days are 9am to 3.30pm from Monday to Thursday, with Friday finishing at 2.30pm. Morning-with-lunch sessions run from 9am to 1pm on weekdays; morning-only sessions run from 9am to noon. The shorter patterns give families a choice between finishing before lunch and including it in the preschool day.

Families can submit a waiting-list form with their preferred start and session pattern. The admissions policy allocates waiting-list places by birth date rather than simply the order applications arrive. Enquiries can go directly to Under the Sea Class on 07895 557619 or to manager@standrewsps.co.uk.

Getting There

The address is Fairfield Community Hall, Western Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 8QN, also called Fairfield Community Centre in parent information. Parking is directly outside, and nearby bus stops on London Road and West Street serve local journeys and surrounding areas.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded sessions at Fairfield cover eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. The universal entitlement provides up to 15 hours from the term following a child's third birthday; funding for some two-year-olds is also accepted. Working Families funding offers eligible children up to 15 or 30 hours a week during term time, depending on age and eligibility. Families using that entitlement supply their eligibility code so the preschool can claim funding.

Additional private hours are charged separately. A mid-morning snack carries a voluntary contribution each term. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fees and funding page explains the entitlement and charging arrangements.

Moving on to primary school involves liaison with receiving schools, transition activities and visits. Relevant information is shared with parental consent, helping the next setting understand the child's needs and support.

• Physical access at Fairfield. Entrance steps and the absence of accessible toilets or changing facilities are material constraints. At a visit, discuss the ramp and toileting arrangements your child would need.
• Term-time coverage. The 38-week calendar and different Friday finish mean the chosen pattern needs to fit the family's working week and holiday arrangements.
• The whole attendance cost. Extra private hours are charged, while the snack contribution is voluntary. When discussing the quotation, ask how lunch and non-food consumables are handled for your chosen sessions, including funded hours.
• Individual settling and support. Fairfield uses tailored settling sessions and SENCO-led plans. A visit is the opportunity to discuss how these would work for your child's communication, medical or emotional needs.

St Andrew's Fairfield suits families seeking term-time preschool with a choice of mornings, mornings including lunch and full days. Practical independence, emotional development and an online learning journal give the day and parent relationship clear substance. Its Outstanding February 2022 judgement adds weight, while remaining a dated assessment.

For children needing additional support, the SENCO-led planning process offers concrete arrangements to discuss. The building's entrance steps and toilet provision deserve equal attention. Families choosing Fairfield should weigh both the care arrangements and the physical setting against their child's needs.