Millfield Pre-School

Two large grassed areas and a playroom in its own building give Millfield Pre-School a clear physical identity. This charitable, committee-led setting occupies the grounds of Millfield Primary School in North Walsham, with play, outdoor exploration and close communication with families shaping its offer.

At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Millfield Pre-School Good overall and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. That judgement has a practical qualification: longer whole-group activities did not engage the youngest children and those needing more help sufficiently. The organisation of those activities and some routines was the improvement priority.

There are 28 places in total, for children aged two to five. Morning, afternoon and all-day sessions run during term time, with a breakfast club offering an earlier start.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play across children's communication, physical development, relationships and other areas of learning. Millfield puts that into practice through activities that respond to children's interests, alongside planned topics. Its curriculum also draws on Birth to 5 Matters as supporting guidance.

Books have a practical role throughout the play environment. Storytelling, pretend play and making marks give children different ways to experiment with language and ideas. Planning includes a book of the week, while natural materials and resources with several possible uses encourage children to make their own choices. Creative activities allow children to produce their own work rather than follow an adult's model.

In September 2023, staff used children's play interests to start conversations and encouraged them to talk about things they remembered. Building and stacking materials also prompted discussion about mathematical ideas. These are useful examples of how an ordinary play activity can become an opportunity to practise speaking or explore shape and size.

At the same visit, children chose books, talked about pictures and retold stories they knew. Staff also taught individually and in smaller groups.

Outdoor and Community Life

A ramp leads to the main playroom, with two large grassed areas outside. Outdoor learning includes environmental care and physical challenges that encourage children to consider their safety.

The Climate Action Plan sets out work on energy use, biodiversity and environmental learning. It includes reusing materials, repairing items and giving children responsibility for worthwhile tasks, including growing fruit and vegetables for snacks. These are planned ways to connect environmental ideas with things children can do, rather than an abstract message about sustainability.

Millfield's Flourish Pledge connects it with Norfolk's local authority ambition to improve children's lives, extending its community involvement beyond the preschool.

Relationships and Communication

A key person is allocated before a child starts, taking account of attendance days, personality and the family's existing connections with the setting. Millfield aims to keep that pairing throughout the child's time there. This gives parents a regular contact who follows their child's experiences and development.

Tapestry Online Learning Journal shares observations and next steps digitally. Updated weekly and accessible to parents at any time, it also accepts families' photographs and observations, bringing home experiences into the child's learning record.

Settling is adjusted to the child. Parents can remain while their child becomes comfortable, separation can increase gradually, and a familiar toy or comforter is welcome. If staff cannot settle a distressed child, they contact the family and ask them to return. The approach makes the child's response central to the pace of separation.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

SEND support has specific mechanisms. The SENCO can arrange a home visit where suitable, meet families regularly and involve professionals already working with the child. When additional support is needed, a Support Plan can set agreed targets and actions with parental consent, followed by reviews involving the family, key person and SENCO.

The admissions policy also describes seeking support through the SEN inclusion fund and Disability Access Fund, with family consent. Where one-to-one support is needed but local government funding does not cover it, the committee may consider financial help after assessing the child's requirements. That is a conditional route, rather than a promise of funded individual support.

A tired child can rest in the sensory room on a foldaway bed mat, with bedding supplied by the setting. Staff remain while the child falls asleep, then record checks every 10 minutes. Curtains and calming music can help make the space restful when appropriate. Sleep is accommodated within the day rather than requiring a child to stay active throughout a session.

All practitioners hold current paediatric first aid qualifications, and the staff structure includes a designated safeguarding lead.

Moving on involves sharing information as well as preparing children through play. With parental permission, the key person sends the next setting or school a brief account of the child's achievements, giving receiving staff a starting point for understanding them.

Sessions and Attendance

Millfield Pre-School's address is South Rise, North Walsham, NR28 0EE. It operates for 38 weeks of the year and closes during school holidays, so its attendance calendar needs to fit the family's holiday arrangements as well as their normal working week.

Morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. A lunchtime session runs from 11.45am to 12.30pm, and all-day sessions are also offered. Breakfast Club runs from 8am to 8.45am on weekdays, providing breakfast and a drink for an additional charge.

Families request their preferred sessions before the term begins. Requests are considered, but the requested pattern is not guaranteed. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email or by telephone during preschool hours.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible two-year-olds. For three- and four-year-olds, funding starts in the term after their third birthday, with 15 or 30 hours depending on the entitlement and eligibility. Delivery is term-time across the 38-week year. Additional private sessions and hours are charged separately, and current prices come in the preschool's written quotation.

Families supply a packed lunch, snacks carry no charge, and Breakfast Club's charge includes breakfast and a drink; children help with snack preparation and clearing away, while the snack bar lets them choose when to eat within the session. The dietary policy asks families to update allergy or intolerance details each half term.

Lunch supervision remains payable when an all-day attendance pattern uses funded sessions. Trips or other additional services have their charges agreed with families beforehand. No deposit or registration charge applies, and funded entitlement carries no top-up charge.

Invoices are issued half-termly when there is a balance to pay. Charges for agreed paid attendance remain due during holidays or sickness, except hospitalisation. This makes the written attendance agreement important for understanding costs beyond the funded sessions.

The preschool occupies the grounds of Millfield Primary School. Attending does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Whole-group teaching. In September 2023, longer gatherings did not work well enough for the youngest children and those needing additional help. During a visit, ask how staff now adapt group activities and routines for a newly two-year-old child.
• Term-time attendance and lunch cover. The 38-week calendar includes shorter sessions and all-day attendance, but lunch supervision is charged even when funded sessions cover the learning hours. Match the proposed pattern and written quotation to your working week and holiday arrangements.
• The first-term agreement. The settling agreement covers the child's first term. Parents may withdraw during that period; the preschool reviews suitability and decides whether attendance should end only at the end of the term. Discuss how concerns are reviewed and how the agreement applies before joining.
• Dietary needs. Families provide lunch and update allergy information each half term. If your child has an allergy, confirm how current snack, breakfast and food-play arrangements accommodate it.

Millfield suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those combining sessions into an all-day term-time pattern. Its two grassed outdoor areas, parent-accessible learning journal and practical SEND procedures give parents concrete features to assess.

The September 2023 Good judgement supports a positive assessment, qualified by the concern about whole-group teaching. The term-time calendar and separate lunch-cover charge are the practical considerations.