Stars Pre-School Woodston

A mud pit, tractor tyres for balancing and a place on the Woodston Primary School site give Stars Pre-School Woodston a recognisable character. This Celta Road preschool in Peterborough welcomes children aged 2 to 5, with outdoor exploration and preparation for greater independence prominent in its offer. The school connection is a practical point of interest, though nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place.

Ofsted rated the setting Good on 7 December 2023. Its strongest practical features include a key person for each child, regular stay and play sessions and an app connecting families with children's activities and development. Morning, afternoon and longer daytime attendance options allow families to choose between different lengths of preschool day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the learning and care framework: children develop language, physical skills and relationships through play, alongside early mathematics, literacy and exploration of the world. It is the shared foundation for early years provision, rather than an extra unique to Woodston.

Alongside it sits the group's ASPIRE curriculum, which connects learning about the community and environment with communication and practical independence. At Woodston, preparing food is one example of the life skills children encounter. Experiences drawn from staff and visitors also contribute to learning about the world. These are concrete ways of connecting preschool learning with things children recognise beyond the setting.

In December 2023, stories provided opportunities for conversation and prediction: children selected books, discussed pictures and considered what might happen next. Mathematical ideas also appeared within ordinary activities, including counting during stories and comparing spoon sizes at snack time. That gives parents a useful picture of learning integrated into play and routines, rather than confined to a separate teaching slot.

Painting easels were another feature of the day in December 2023. Staff used children's interest in painting to encourage larger movements, while cake decoration offered practice with smaller hand movements. Playdough activities brought conversation about children's experiences at home into their play. The activities connected physical practice with opportunities to talk.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor space includes a mud pit and tractor tyres used for balancing. These give children opportunities for messy exploration and physical challenge within the preschool grounds. Excursions and forest school experiences are included in children's sessions, extending the offer beyond indoor activities.

During December 2023, children also used balance blocks and scooters outdoors. The practical emphasis was on movement, coordination and balance. The combination of outdoor obstacles and creative activities makes physical development a visible part of the preschool experience, with different ways for children to practise control and confidence.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key member of staff, providing a consistent point of contact for their care and development. Regular stay and play sessions give parents opportunities to participate, while the app shares information about children's activities and learning. The combination offers both face-to-face involvement and a connection with the preschool day between conversations.

In December 2023, settling sessions took place before children started. Conversations with parents covered children's interests and existing abilities, helping staff shape activities around familiar starting points. Families also discussed ways to support learning at home. For a child beginning preschool, that links the first sessions with information supplied by the people who know them best.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described a SEND coordinator who arranged support for learning delays, communicated with parents and made timely referrals to other agencies. This is useful detail about how support operated at that visit, rather than a general promise that every need will be met in the same way.

Everyday independence featured in December 2023 too: children practised dressing and toileting, served themselves snacks and poured drinks. Social routines included sharing resources and using polite language, with staff redirecting disagreements and reinforcing positive behaviour. These small tasks matter for the move towards managing more of the day independently.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool is on Celta Road, Woodston, Peterborough, PE2 9ER, and operates during term time, closing for school holidays. Attendance options are a morning from 9am to noon, an afternoon from noon to 3pm, or a daytime session from 9am to 3pm. Both full-time and part-time attendance are offered, so the choice concerns the length of the session as well as the overall attendance pattern.

Breakfast Club runs from 8am to 9am. After-School Club runs from 3pm to 4pm subject to sufficient demand; that condition matters for anyone planning their working day around the later collection. Parking is provided at the setting. Enquiries can be made directly by telephone on 01733 569580.

Sharing a site with Woodston Primary School gives the preschool a clear school setting. It does not guarantee a Reception place: families still need to apply through the local authority admissions process. Preparation for school and admission to school are separate decisions.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, including the universal 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds over 38 weeks, 15 hours for families receiving qualifying government support, and 30 hours for eligible working families within the preschool's accepted age range. Woodston's attendance is term-time. Additional sessions beyond funded hours can be paid for privately, and a sibling discount is offered.

Breakfast and snacks are included at no extra charge, including within funded sessions. Non-food consumables, resources and materials also carry no additional charge under the group's policy applied here. Forest school experiences, excursions and the parent app are included in the session offer; current prices for additional attendance should come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Consistency of adult interaction. In December 2023, staff deployment sometimes left activities with less consistent adult interaction. During a visit, ask how practitioners now organise themselves during group activities and support children who need extra conversation or help.
• Term-time planning. School holidays are closure periods, and the 3pm to 4pm After-School Club depends on sufficient demand. Families needing holiday care or relying on the later finish should establish whether this pattern fits their schedule before joining.
• The school connection. Woodston Primary School shares the site, but preschool attendance does not guarantee admission. Treat the preschool choice and the Reception application as separate parts of planning.
• Outdoor experiences. The mud pit and balancing tyres give the outdoor offer substance. When visiting, ask what the included forest school experiences involve and how the excursions work for children of different ages.

Woodston suits families seeking term-time preschool with a choice of morning, afternoon or 9am to 3pm attendance. Outdoor physical play, practical independence and regular opportunities for parent involvement give it a clear identity. The December 2023 staff-deployment concern remains a worthwhile visit question, while the conditional later club needs careful planning. Its school-site position is useful context for families considering the next stage, with Reception admission handled separately.