Crescent Under Fives

A parent-run charity with its own building in the grounds of Alfred Sutton Primary School gives Crescent Under Fives a clear identity: a preschool shaped partly by the families who use it. Its garden has replacement parasols funded by The Early Charity, while parents can contribute through committee work, gardening or helping during sessions. Family involvement has practical substance here.

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged Crescent Under Fives Good, found safeguarding effective, and recognised children's progress and the additional adult support and personalised planning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There were also two priorities: allowing children longer to pursue their play and making staff coaching and monitoring more consistent. Those points matter alongside the positive judgement.

The preschool has 26 places in total and offers paid and eligible funded attendance from two and a half, alongside provision for three- and four-year-olds. Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance operate within a term-time calendar.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning and care: here, play and activities indoors and outside support its seven areas of learning. Children can choose resources and activities, giving them a part in deciding how their time unfolds. Letter, Number, Colour and Shape of the Week adds a named strand to that approach, bringing these early concepts into the preschool's learning offer.

In June 2024, practical investigations included adding drops of water to paper caterpillars and predicting the effect. Another activity involved sending toy cars down a tube and comparing how far they travelled. These are useful examples of the nursery day: children can test an idea, observe a change and talk about what happened, rather than only hear an adult explain it.

Singing, stories and conversation also featured in June 2024. Staff used snack-time fruit to connect discussion about food with the children's storybook. Learning therefore extended into an ordinary routine, with something concrete for children to discuss.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden's replacement parasols provide shade for outdoor play. The Early Charity funded them and ShadeArt carried out the installation, giving the outdoor space a practical improvement rather than simply adding more play equipment.

In June 2024, children used the outdoor area for climbing, painting and looking after plants. Hanging socks with pegs gave them another way to practise small hand movements. The physical setting supported energetic play and smaller, more deliberate tasks.

Choice needs enough uninterrupted time to work. In June 2024, routine activities sometimes brought children's play to an end before they had fully explored an interest. The improvement priority was to reorganise those transitions, rather than add more activities to an already busy day.

Relationships and Communication

Key carers form part of the staff structure, supported by play workers. Tapestry, the online learning journal, is the main communication channel: parents can see their child's experiences and contribute photographs, videos and notes from home. That makes communication two-way and gives staff material for conversations with children about their life beyond preschool.

In June 2024, settling involved staff working with parents when children found the move from home difficult. Staff also exchanged information at handovers and through the online platform. For a child beginning preschool, those connections link the family relationship with the developing relationship at the setting.

Parent participation extends beyond individual updates. The volunteer committee meets each term, with discussions covering equipment purchases, development plans and issues raised by families. Families become members as part of joining, and can contribute according to the time they have. Hi Translate is also used to help with spoken enquiries where translation is needed.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Designated safeguarding officer roles are in place, alongside staff training in safeguarding and first aid. These are arrangements for managing responsibilities; the dated safeguarding judgement sits above in At a Glance.

In June 2024, staff coaching and monitoring were still developing. Making that work more consistent was the second improvement priority, with a practical consequence for families: the strength of everyday interactions depends on how staff practice is supported as well as on the activities offered.

Snack contributions are voluntary, and the preschool does not add a consumables charge. The Giving Tree donation scheme includes fruit and vegetables, craft materials and cleaning supplies, giving families concrete ways to support everyday provision.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 8.40am to 11.40am, with afternoons from 12.20pm to 3.20pm, Monday to Friday. Lunch Club occupies the interval from 11.40am to 12.20pm; full-day attendance can combine funded sessions with additional paid sessions where a child's funding covers only part of the arrangement.

Attendance is term-time only, across 38 weeks. Crescent's dates can differ slightly from Alfred Sutton Primary School's, so sharing a site does not necessarily mean sharing an identical family calendar.

The admission-list form can be submitted after a child is born. Offers follow the date the form was received and the child's date of birth within that list; a child who reaches the top before being old enough retains that position. Session allocation follows a first-come basis, with alternatives offered when a requested session has reached its maximum.

Getting There

The address is 148 Wokingham Road, Reading, RG6 1JR, within Alfred Sutton Primary School's grounds. Parents cannot park on the school premises unless they hold a blue disabled badge.

Crescent remains an independent organisation and describes a close relationship with Alfred Sutton Primary School. Preschool attendance does not guarantee a Reception place; families still need to use the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible funded sessions are offered from two and a half, with 15-hour funding for three- and four-year-olds beginning in the term following their third birthday and extended 30-hour funding where eligible. Funding is used within the term-time offer, and paid sessions can supplement funded attendance.

Lunch Club is charged separately and cannot be counted towards funded hours. Snack donations are voluntary, and there is no separate consumables charge; these positions should be kept distinct from the charge for attending Lunch Club.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The funding and fees page also sets out half-termly invoicing and payment terms: withdrawal with less than half a term's notice still attracts fees, and short absences remain payable.

• Time to follow an interest. In June 2024, routines sometimes interrupted children's chosen play, while staff coaching was still developing. A visit is a useful opportunity to ask how transitions and staff support have changed.
• Lunch and funded hours. Lunch Club sits between the two sessions but falls outside funded hours. Ask how the lunch arrangement would work for your child's intended pattern and dietary needs.
• A shared site, separate arrangements. Crescent's term dates may differ from the primary school's, and school-premises parking is restricted to blue-badge holders. Both points affect the practical fit for a family with children attending the two settings.

Crescent Under Fives suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those combining them into full days during term time. Its parent committee, Tapestry communication and shaded garden give the offer a clear shape. The June 2024 Good judgement supports that picture, while the priorities around uninterrupted play and staff development deserve attention. This is a setting for families who value a role in preschool life as well as a place for their child.