Ulceby Pre-School Playgroup & Out of School Club

Cupcake, a teddy bear who goes home with children and returns with family stories, gives Ulceby’s pre-school a recognisable connection between home and play. Children can contribute pictures and accounts of their adventures, which practitioners then share with the group. It is a simple way to give children something personal to talk about.

Ulceby Pre-School Playgroup & Out of School Club has 24 places in total, with pre-school provision for children aged two, three and four and an Out of School Club for ages two to eleven. At its July 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Those are dated judgements, rather than a description of today’s staffing or daily practice.

The pre-school operates during the daytime, alongside separate before-school and after-school club sessions. The setting’s address is St Nicholas School, Church Lane, Ulceby, DN39 6TB.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play, covering language, physical development, relationships, early literacy and mathematics alongside creative work and understanding the world. This is the common early-years foundation; Ulceby’s own delivery includes adult-led Small Group Circle Times, giving children structured opportunities to take part with others.

Cupcake adds a practical home-learning link. Families can write a story, record activities or add photographs to the bear’s book, and practitioners share these contributions when the bear returns. The child’s family experience becomes material for conversation with other children, rather than staying separate from the pre-school day.

In July 2022, children’s interests shaped activities such as pretending to tackle a fire, while staff joined their play and introduced vocabulary. Story sessions sat alongside books children could explore independently, including books made with photographs of the children themselves. Familiar faces gave those books a personal connection.

At the July 2022 inspection, Ofsted identified mathematics as the area needing improvement: teaching needed a clearer sequence based on individual children’s next steps, and staff needed greater confidence in delivering it. This matters because enjoyable activities alone do not establish a coherent route through early mathematical learning.

Outdoor and Community Life

In July 2022, climbing equipment and ride-ons supported active outdoor play. Water-tray fishing with magnetic rods, mark-making and squirty bottles added opportunities to practise hand movements and coordination. These examples show how physical development ran through both larger movements and smaller, more controlled actions.

Local outings and visits from pets also featured in July 2022, giving children experiences beyond the activities inside the setting. A daily tooth brushing scheme brought oral hygiene into the routine. These are examples of the pre-school day at that time, rather than a current timetable of outings or visitors.

The Out of School Club has a different rhythm. Its description begins with time for school-set homework, followed by a snack and activities children help choose. Slime Making, Rock Painting and Origami sit alongside science activities, nature walks and games, allowing children to contribute ideas rather than simply follow an adult’s activity list.

Relationships and Communication

In July 2022, a structured settling process helped children build relationships with their key workers. Staff also kept parents informed about learning and offered advice. The practical value is continuity: settling, conversations with families and the child’s day were connected through familiar adults.

Today, Cupcake provides a specific communication activity that families can join in with. Parents and carers can also obtain policies by email or use a paper copy at the setting. That gives families a direct way to understand the procedures applying to their child’s care.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Ulceby uses the Graduated Approach for additional needs: staff assess a child’s needs, plan support, put it into practice and review it. SENCO coordination is part of this arrangement. The useful detail is the cycle of review, which allows support to be reconsidered rather than treated as a single decision.

Experience of working with the Speech and Language Therapy Service, Early Years Inclusion Team, Educational Psychologists and Health Visitors gives that process concrete professional connections. The building occupies one floor, with an accessible toilet off the main room; the outdoor provision is also on one level. These physical arrangements matter for families considering how their child will use the space.

Sessions and Attendance

Pre-School opening hours are 9am to 3.30pm. The Out of School Club has a morning session from 7.30am to 9am and an afternoon session from 3.30pm to 6pm. The club sessions provide separate care before and after school.

The club accepts children aged two to eleven. For children with school-set homework, its routine allocates the first 30 minutes to that work before snack and chosen activities. This is a relevant distinction for families comparing early-years play with the needs of an older sibling.

The setting can be contacted on 01469 588861 or at manager@ulcebypreschool.org.uk. Its home page also provides an application route for pre-school and club places.

Getting There

The address is St Nicholas School, Church Lane, Ulceby, North Lincolnshire, DN39 6TB. Attending the pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place; families still need to use the local authority admissions process.

• Early mathematics. The July 2022 improvement actions concerned the sequence of mathematical teaching and staff confidence. On a visit, ask how activities now build on each child’s mathematical understanding.
• Pre-school and club care. Pre-school opening hours are 9am to 3.30pm, with separate club sessions either side. Discuss which attendance arrangements fit your child’s age and the care you need.
• Individual support. The Graduated Approach provides a cycle for planning and reviewing additional support. Ask how SENCO coordination and communication with outside professionals would work for your child.
• Funding and everyday costs. Before accepting a pre-school or club arrangement, ask for written terms covering funded hours, paid hours, food and consumables together.

Ulceby suits families seeking daytime pre-school provision and those needing morning Out of School Club or afternoon Out of School Club sessions, including care for an older child. Cupcake and Small Group Circle Times give the early-years offer concrete character, while the Graduated Approach describes how additional support is organised.

The July 2022 Good judgement is a useful reference point, with mathematics the clear improvement priority. The decision rests on how well the attendance patterns and individual support arrangements fit the child, alongside the learning now taking place.