Stanion Pre School

A Mud Kitchen, a Bug Hotel and a Fairy Garden give Stanion Pre School's outdoor play a recognisable character. This village preschool occupies its own separate unit on the grounds of Stanion C of E Primary School, with a classroom and two outdoor areas. Children can choose their play, while staff take smaller groups into the garden for closer interaction.

Children aged two and a half to four attend, and the setting has 24 places in total. At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised good progress alongside substantial support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Those judgements belong to that inspection, rather than describing an assessment made today.

The attendance options include morning and afternoon sessions, a full day and Breakfast Club. The strongest practical distinction is the combination of shorter sessions and a school-day finish, rather than an evening childcare service.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning and care here: children develop skills through play, conversation and practical activity. Free-flow play gives them a choice of resources rather than keeping everyone on the same task. Indoors, a small world area sits alongside spaces for stories, creative work and domestic role-play. That gives children different ways to explore an interest, from making something to acting out a familiar situation.

The daily rhythm alternates choice with shared routines. Morning play is followed by a snack, then stories and songs before lunch; planned activities and further free-flow play follow in the afternoon. A later snack and another story-and-song period lead towards home time. These pauses give the day a recognisable shape while leaving substantial space for children's own choices.

In July 2023, a farm-shop activity brought counting, language and practical maths together. Younger children handled vegetables and counted potatoes, while older children used scales, recognised numbers and worked out shopping costs. Staff adjusted the challenge within the same activity. It is a useful example of how a shared game can accommodate children at different stages.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden combines vegetable patches with the Mud Kitchen, Bug Hotel and Fairy Garden. Small groups explore this area with a practitioner, allowing closer conversation during messy play and encounters with nature. It offers a different pace from the other outdoor space, which remains open for free-flow play.

Construction Corner, a sandpit, climbing frames, scooters and trikes give that second area a more physical emphasis. Construction materials differ in texture, weight and size, so building involves handling and comparing as well as imagination. Children have opportunities to practise movement and coordination alongside quieter investigation in the garden.

In July 2023, children investigated an unfamiliar insect, discussed its features and used a noticeboard to help identify it. Outdoor kitchen play also involved herbs and flowers. These examples show the garden functioning as a place for observation and conversation, as well as somewhere to play.

A SENCO role and a safeguarding lead role sit within the current staff structure, alongside paediatric first-aid training. These are practical arrangements for coordinating support and responding to concerns; the dated safeguarding judgement remains the inspection finding above.

In July 2023, staff shared assessments with other professionals and sought advice about supporting children with SEND. Daily stories in small groups used puppets and props to develop sounds and vocabulary. The detail matters: communication support was delivered through manageable activities, while professional discussions helped staff adapt their work to individual children.

Settling and everyday independence were linked in July 2023. Children beginning preschool were helped to learn snack routines, including preparing food, pouring drinks and clearing up. Sand timers and a turn-taking register helped children manage popular activities. These gave children practical ways to participate in the day rather than relying solely on adult reminders.

The school transition work recorded in July 2023 involved staff collaborating with the local primary school on plans tailored to individual children. That is preparation for a change of setting, rather than an admissions advantage. Because the preschool occupies school grounds, families should distinguish the familiar location from the separate decision about a Reception place.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Stanion C of E Primary School, Cardigan Road, Stanion, Kettering, NN14 1BY. Opening hours are 8.30am to 3.15pm, Monday to Friday, with attendance organised around school terms.

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, followed by Lunch Club from noon to 12.45pm. Afternoon sessions finish at 3.15pm, and full-day attendance is also offered. Breakfast Club starts at 8.30am; a separate early drop-off option begins at 8.45am and does not include breakfast. Both earlier starts carry an additional charge.

The term calendar includes holiday closures and some noon finishes at the end of terms. That distinction matters for families whose working hours extend beyond the school day or continue through school holidays. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

For children aged three to four, the funding offer includes 15 hours per week (universal) and 30 hours per week (extended) if eligible. Funded provision is also offered for children aged two and a half, subject to government-set ratios, with extended hours conditional on eligibility. Attendance is term-time, and sessions exceeding a child's funded entitlement are charged.

Breakfast is provided through the separately charged Breakfast Club, while families supply a packed lunch for Lunch Club. The daily routine also includes morning and afternoon snacks. This makes food arrangements dependent on which parts of the day a child attends.

Government Tax Free Scheme payments and several Childcare Voucher schemes are accepted. Families should obtain a current written quotation covering their chosen sessions and any hours beyond funding; the prices and term dates page sets out the attendance and charging structure.

Attending this preschool does not guarantee a Reception place at Stanion C of E Primary School. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Term-time coverage. Sessions finish by 3.15pm, and the calendar includes holiday closures and some noon finishes. Match the complete term calendar against working hours, rather than planning around the usual finishing time alone.
• Lunchtime learning. In July 2023, interactions during lunch were less consistently effective than those during other activities, and strengthening mealtime learning was an improvement priority. At a visit, ask how lunchtime practice has changed.
• Reviewing practice. In July 2023, the manager's evaluation of wider practice needed greater consistency. Ask how the team now identifies improvements and checks whether changes help children.
• The school connection. A separate preschool unit on primary-school grounds can make the setting familiar, but attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Keep the school application separate from the preschool booking.

Stanion Pre School suits families seeking either shorter morning or afternoon sessions, or full-day attendance within a term-time routine. Breakfast Club adds an earlier start. Its two outdoor areas provide contrasting opportunities: closer garden exploration and more open movement and construction play.

The July 2023 judgement gives a clear inspection reference point, with lunchtime learning and evaluation of practice the specific matters to explore at a visit. For families comfortable with the school-day finish and holiday pattern, the choice of sessions and child-directed play are the clearest reasons to consider it.