Wendover Pre-School

Real objects, loose parts and a choice between indoor and outdoor play give Wendover Pre-School its character. This Humberston setting puts children's interests to work: staff follow an idea, introduce a question or resource, and help children take it further. Play leads the day.

Children aged two to four attend, and there are 40 places in total. At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective. The practical appeal is a play-led pre-school with shorter attendance options; the educational question is how consistently staff adapt activities to children at different stages.

Morning, morning with lunchtime and all-day bookings sit alongside an early-start option. The term-time calendar makes this a choice for families whose childcare arrangements can accommodate the holidays.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play helping children develop language, relationships and practical skills. Wendover adds The Curiosity Approach, which uses authentic, everyday resources for exploration. Real objects and loose parts replace some plastic resources, giving children materials they can investigate and use in different ways.

In the Moment Planning means staff respond to an interest as it develops rather than deciding in advance what will capture a child's attention. Adults observe play, use questions to extend an idea and introduce further resources. That makes the adult's timing important: the aim is to build on the child's thinking while keeping the child involved in shaping the activity.

Each week, staff give particular attention to five children through planned invitations to play and further challenges. This sits alongside their work with children's individual interests and next steps. For parents, the useful distinction is between following an interest and simply leaving play alone: observation and adult intervention are part of the approach.

In February 2024, children investigated planting, discussing what flowers and seeds needed to grow. Pouring and scooping offered another way to experiment, while a sensory mixture became the basis for vehicle play and an imagined construction site. These examples connect hands-on exploration with conversation and imaginative thinking.

Books also had a place across the day in February 2024. Children listened in small groups, anticipated what might happen in stories and looked at books independently; those ready to do so explored the letters of their names and practised writing. Early literacy sat within everyday activities rather than depending solely on a whole-group session.

Outdoor and Community Life

Free-flow play gives children the choice of learning outdoors or indoors during the day. The outdoor area provides space to try unfamiliar activities and take manageable risks, and the intention is to use it across different weather conditions. Outdoor play is part of the daily offer, rather than a separate occasional activity.

Community links extend beyond the setting through local businesses, amenities and care homes. In February 2024, children's experiences included outings to a nearby library and visits to a local care home. These were opportunities to encounter people and places beyond their usual play setting; no particular frequency is attached to those inspection-time examples.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a keyworker, giving them a familiar adult who learns their preferences, strengths and difficulties. Other staff also care for the children, so the relationship sits within the wider team. There are seven educators, but that whole-team figure should be kept separate from how many adults work with a particular group.

Settling begins with a free, hour-long taster session in which the child spends time at pre-school without their parent. Staff then discuss attendance with the family, proceeding at the child's pace. The purpose is concrete: children get an introduction to the people and routines before their regular pattern begins.

Tapestry Learning Journal lets staff and families share children's experiences both at home and at pre-school. Daily conversations with staff provide another route for exchanging information. Stay and Plays are recurring opportunities for family members to join the children, see their activities and build relationships with the adults caring for them.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support, with the coordinator working alongside staff and other professionals and additional funding supporting progress. The account gives substance to inclusion: coordinated work and resources were part of the support, rather than a general statement of welcome.

In February 2024, everyday care included helping children manage handwashing and toileting with greater independence. Preparing fruit and spreading toast also let children practise handling tools and completing tasks themselves. Care routines doubled as opportunities to develop practical skills.

A rolling morning snack gives children access to fruit or vegetables, with opportunities to help prepare them; families are encouraged to make a small donation. Milk is supplied, and children need a named water bottle for use during the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The main opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Morning bookings run from 9am to noon, Morning + lunchtime from 9am to 1pm, and All day from 9am to 3pm. An Early Start begins at 8.30am, extending the start of the day for families who need it.

There is no minimum booking requirement, although at least two sessions are recommended to help children become familiar with the setting and build relationships. That recommendation is separate from a condition of joining. Families can therefore weigh a shorter introduction against the value of a repeated routine.

Attendance follows the term-time calendar. The autumn term resumes on 2 November 2026 and finishes on 17 December 2026. These holiday breaks matter alongside the daily finish time: an all-day booking here ends at 3pm.

Enquiries can be made by telephone or email, and a visit with the child is arranged before the joining process proceeds. The telephone number is 07375 065749 and the email address is manager@wendoverschool.co.uk.

Getting There

The setting occupies Wendover Village Hall in Humberston, Grimsby, DN36 4HX. Its contact address is 1 Wendover Lane, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN36 4HX; the different street descriptions make the entrance a useful point to settle before a first visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education is offered, including 15 hours funding for three- and four-year-olds from the term after their third birthday, and two-year funding for eligible families. Staff provide the form and can help families complete it. Delivery follows the term-time attendance calendar.

Paid sessions are offered for the same age range, with the same charges applying across ages two, three and four. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The snack donation is encouraged; it should be distinguished from the price of a booked session when considering the family's overall arrangements.

• Younger children in group activities. In February 2024, some younger children disengaged during mixed-age group sessions, and adults did not consistently extend children's answers. Ask how group activities and follow-up questions now accommodate different stages of development.
• Term-time care with a 3pm finish. All-day attendance ends at 3pm, while morning and lunchtime options offer shorter patterns. Families needing holiday care or later afternoons will need arrangements that fit those boundaries.
• Lunchtime and everyday supplies. Morning + lunchtime adds time beyond the morning booking, and snacks carry an encouraged donation. What are the arrangements for lunch and personal-care supplies, and how are any additional costs handled on funded sessions?
• The first visit. Wendover Village Hall is the venue, while the contact address uses 1 Wendover Lane. Confirm which entrance to use when arranging the visit with your child.

Wendover suits families seeking morning, morning-with-lunchtime or all-day term-time attendance for a two- to four-year-old. Its appeal lies in the detail: authentic resources, outdoor choice, responsive planning and a keyworker relationship, with Tapestry Learning Journal and Stay and Plays connecting families to children's experiences.

The February 2024 findings also give parents a clear point to explore: adapting shared activities for younger children and extending conversation consistently. A visit should show how those priorities fit with the play-led approach. The daily hours and holiday calendar remain decisive practical considerations.