Heart Preschool

Bible stories, child-led play and a large outdoor space give Heart Preschool a clear character. Based at The Church On Rise Park in Nottingham, it offers a Christian foundation for children aged two up to five, with prayer and songs forming part of that experience. Faith is a practical part of the day, rather than simply a description of the setting.

At its September 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated Heart Preschool Good and judged safeguarding effective. That dated judgement sits alongside a current approach built around children's interests, weekly story books and opportunities to move between indoor and outdoor play. The setting has 60 places in total; that is whole-setting capacity, not the size of an individual group.

Families can choose longer days or morning sessions from Monday to Thursday. The shorter Friday opening and school-holiday closures make the weekly calendar an important part of the decision.

Rooms and Ages

The Caterpillar Room serves children aged two to three, while Butterfly Room covers ages three to five. These age bands distinguish the toddler and preschool stages, giving parents a straightforward starting point for understanding where their child would spend time.

A large outdoor play area supports daily access to fresh air, and children can move between activities inside and outside. Most of the day follows children's own choices, with some routines directed by a practitioner. For a child who prefers movement to sitting, that balance gives outdoor interests room within the nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the learning and care requirements followed here: children develop language, movement and social skills through play and interaction, alongside early literacy, mathematics and creative experiences. Heart's planning uses a story book each week together with children's current interests and weekly themes. Books therefore provide a thread through activities, while children's interests help shape what happens next.

Bible Stories & Craft activities adds a specific Christian element. Church stewards visit on Tuesdays to introduce simple Bible stories and ideas about kindness, care and love, followed by a related craft activity. Children encounter those ideas through both listening and making, which matters for families choosing an explicitly Christian preschool.

In September 2021, younger children's emotional learning included sharing books about feelings with staff in a cosy tent. Older children threaded pieces of fruit onto sticks to practise the finger movements used in early writing. These examples show how ordinary play materials could serve different developmental purposes, rather than treating preparation for school as formal lessons.

Language work in September 2021 included questions followed by time for children to answer, and stories linked to familiar action songs. During pretend baking, staff joined children's conversations and encouraged them to choose ingredients for their imaginary cake. The limitation was consistency: adults sometimes missed opportunities to take an activity further or sustain children's interest.

Outdoor and Community Life

Trips and outings include opportunities to explore the surrounding area, such as walks to a local park and play area. These extend children's experiences beyond the preschool's own outdoor space.

In September 2021, outdoor play included balancing and riding wheeled toys, with a steep slope providing a challenge children could attempt with staff nearby. Encouragement allowed children to persist and enjoy their achievements. Heart also works closely with Love Early Years, providing a connection to an early-years support network.

Relationships and Communication

Famly, the online learning journal app, connects parents with children's experiences through photographs, videos and observations. Families can respond to entries and add learning from home, giving staff another way to understand a child's interests. Access begins with a consent form, and parents can discuss entries with their child's key person.

Settling arrangements in September 2021 adapted to individual children. One child interested in a walkie-talkie was encouraged to use it to speak with familiar staff elsewhere in the room. This was a practical way to use an existing interest to make a new setting feel more familiar.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In September 2021, children sought cuddles from staff and received gentle reminders about sharing and taking turns. Books about emotions gave younger children a concrete way to talk about feelings. The emphasis was on helping children understand their responses and relationships during everyday play.

Collection arrangements in September 2021 used passwords, while secured doors controlled access to the building. Staff received safeguarding training and understood the steps for raising concerns. These are dated practices, rather than a description of today's security arrangements.

The September 2021 team comprised eight childcare staff, including six with early-years qualifications at level 3 and one with qualified teacher status. Staff also had time to read and research, then used reflection logs to plan changes to their practice. That development work is relevant to the teaching improvement identified at the same visit: making better use of opportunities to extend children's learning.

Sessions and Attendance

Heart Preschool is at The Church On Rise Park, Revelstoke Way, Nottingham, NG5 5EB. The application form offers days running from 8.30am to 4pm and mornings from 9am to noon, Monday to Thursday. These are different attendance options, rather than a single opening window that every child must attend.

Opening hours are 8.30am to 4pm from Monday to Thursday, with Friday shown as 9am to noon in the opening-times information. The Friday timing needs attention because the price schedule uses a later finish. Applications can be submitted through the Join Heart Preschool form, and telephone contact is also provided.

School holidays and bank holidays are closures. There can also be up to three inset days during an academic year, and the preschool closes when the church needs the building for a funeral. Families relying on a predictable working week should take that shared-building arrangement into account.

Funding and Paid Extras

Private childcare and government-funded childcare are offered. The Caterpillar Room's terms refer to 15 funded hours, while Butterfly Room's terms include 15 or 30 hours, subject to eligibility. The school-holiday closure pattern means attendance follows term time.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The prices page sets out the room and attendance structure, allowing families to compare the longer-day and morning options alongside their funded entitlement.

• Friday finish. Opening-times and contact information give a noon finish, while the price schedule gives 2pm. Establish the agreed Friday collection time before choosing a weekly pattern.
• Christian content. Tuesday Bible stories and crafts sit alongside prayer and songs. Consider how that religious element fits the experience you want for your child.
• Extending learning. In September 2021, adults sometimes missed chances to deepen activities or maintain engagement. On a visit, ask how practitioners now develop children's ideas beyond the initial play.
• Funding and the family budget. Funded options differ between The Caterpillar Room and Butterfly Room. For your chosen attendance pattern, what will the written quotation include for meals and non-food consumables?

Heart Preschool suits families seeking a Christian preschool experience with daily outdoor access and a choice between longer days and morning sessions during term time. Tuesday stories and crafts make the faith element tangible, while Famly offers a practical connection between home and preschool learning.

The September 2021 judgement provides a dated positive assessment, with extending children's learning the clear improvement point. The decision also turns on the weekly timetable: Friday's finish needs agreement, and church-related closures matter for families organising work around attendance.