Osmotherley Pre-School & Out of School Club

Natural materials in the Curiosity Cabin and woodland exploration on Welly Wednesday give this village pre-school a recognisable character. Creativity and outdoor learning sit alongside practical work on language, movement and managing emotions. Its capacity is 24 children in total, rather than a measure of how many children share an activity or attend on a particular day.

At its July 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Osmotherley Pre-School & Out of School Club Outstanding overall and judged its education exceptional. Children attending at that time were aged 2 to 11, spanning the pre-school and out-of-school provision. That dated age range describes the inspection population, rather than a current admissions boundary.

Half-day and full-day bookings sit alongside breakfast and after-school clubs. The pre-school operates during term time, with holiday clubs communicated ahead of time.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning and care: children develop language, physical skills, social understanding and early mathematical ideas through play and everyday activities. Counting, sorting, puzzles and building blocks make abstract ideas tangible, while stories and conversations give children opportunities to practise listening and using new words.

The Reggio Emilia Approach adds an emphasis on play shaped by children's interests. Staff observe and join that play, using what interests a child to introduce the next learning step. This gives the approach a practical expression rather than leaving it as a curriculum label. The curriculum page describes activities including scissors, small-object handling, imaginative play and simple science experiments.

Curiosity Cabin is a physical space for open-ended exploration with recycled and natural materials. Children can decide what to make, combining creative work with conversation and investigation. The materials do not prescribe a single finished product, so the child has a meaningful choice about how to use them.

Yoga sessions support movement and work on mindfulness and self-regulation. Makaton is also used throughout sessions. In July 2024, children paired signing with familiar songs and rhymes, and staff introduced ambitious vocabulary while observing caterpillars. These examples show how language practice could be woven into shared activities rather than confined to a separate lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

Welly Wednesday takes children into the local woodland and surrounding area on Wednesday mornings. There are also opportunities for daily local walks, playground visits and a walk to the Library Bus. The variety matters: outdoor learning includes both exploring nature and using places within the village.

Participation in local shows and events, together with the monthly community coffee morning in the church, connects the pre-school with village life. These are concrete opportunities to take part in the wider community, beyond activities within the setting.

In July 2024, outings included discussion of road safety, quieter electric vehicles and plants such as nettles and holly. Children also practised getting their outdoor clothing and boots on themselves. Outdoor activity therefore offered opportunities to rehearse both independence and everyday safety routines.

Relationships, communication and emotional regulation are closely connected here. In July 2024, staff responded to children's expressed needs and used breathing exercises and yoga as relaxation strategies. Children practised everyday self-care, including dressing for outdoor activity and wiping their noses. These are small tasks with practical value as children become more independent.

Class Dojo App provides photographs and messages during the day, giving parents a way to stay connected with their child's experiences. In July 2024, parental requests for more support with learning at home had also led to take-home story sacks. Shared books provided a specific activity families could continue together outside pre-school.

The team includes a designated safeguarding lead and a SENCO role alongside health-and-safety coordination. At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective. The current staff roles establish who holds responsibilities; the dated judgement establishes the inspection's assessment of safeguarding practice.

School preparation has included responding to feedback from the linked primary school. In July 2024, activities addressed hand control through tasks such as cutting with scissors, giving children practice relevant to later pencil use. This is a concrete example of transition work, rather than an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 3 School Lane, Osmotherley, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 3BW. Opening hours are 8am to 3.30pm on Monday and Friday, and 8am to 5.30pm from Tuesday to Thursday. Those opening windows are separate from the sessions families book.

Half-day bookings run from 9am to noon or noon to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Full-day options run from 9am to 3pm or 9am to 3.30pm on the same days. The distinction between the two full-day endings matters when matching a booking to work or another child's collection time.

Breakfast Club operates Monday to Friday, and After School Club is listed from 3.30pm on those days. The pre-school is term-time provision; holiday clubs are communicated in advance. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email at info@osmotherleypreschool.co.uk or by telephone on 01609 883138.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 hours for two-year-olds and 15 or 30 hours for three- and four-year-olds. Funding is stretched across the term: where a child has unused weekly hours, these can cover weeks within the term that funding would otherwise leave unpaid. That condition matters when considering the pattern of attendance.

Refreshments are included in the fee. Private half-day, full-day and club bookings are offered, with current prices obtained in the nursery's written quotation; the pricing page sets out the booking categories.

The nursery describes a close link with neighbouring Osmotherley School. Attending the pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place, and families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Preparation for school and admission to school are separate decisions.

• Different collection times. Full-day bookings end at either 3pm or 3.30pm, while later opening extends to 5.30pm only from Tuesday to Thursday. At a visit, discuss how the session and club arrangements would fit your collection pattern.
• Term-time planning. Holiday clubs are communicated in advance rather than forming part of the regular term-time timetable. Families needing care during school holidays should build that distinction into their plans.
• Food and personal supplies. Refreshments are included in the fee. What lunch and non-food supplies should your child bring, and how would these arrangements apply to funded hours?
• Moving on to school. The close school link supports preparation, but attendance does not guarantee Reception admission. Keep the local authority application separate from your pre-school booking.

Osmotherley suits families seeking either half-day attendance or a full pre-school day, with breakfast and after-school clubs adding further options. Curiosity Cabin, Welly Wednesday and village activities give its play-led approach substance. The July 2024 Outstanding judgement adds a strong dated assessment, while the current offer makes clear how creative exploration, outdoor activity and parent communication fit together. The practical decision is whether its term-time calendar and differing day lengths match the family's routine.