Squirrels Pre-School Rugby

A visual timetable, songs to bookend the day and outdoor play in all weathers give Squirrels Pre-School Rugby a recognisable rhythm. Based in the grounds of Paddox Primary School, this community not-for-profit serves children aged two to four, with priority given to those approaching school age. There are 30 places in total.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good, found safeguarding effective and identified communication and language as a strength. The practical character is equally clear: children choose resources for their play, bring a packed lunch and need clothes that can cope with puddles and painting.

Attendance is term-time, with three-hour and six-hour sessions and a recommendation of two full days to help children settle.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS sets out children's learning, development and care: here, learning through play, conversation, stories and everyday routines gives children opportunities to develop their skills. Activities build on individual interests and strengths, rather than expecting every child to approach learning in the same way.

A timetable made from symbols helps children follow the sequence of the day. Group time, stories, lunch and opportunities to play have recognisable places within that sequence. A song marks the beginning, and another brings each session to a close. These repeated signals help make the day understandable before children can read a timetable for themselves.

Children can select their own resources and use the opportunities indoors and outdoors. Messy play is part of the offer, including splashy painting and puddle jumping. Spare clothing is practical equipment here, rather than an afterthought.

In September 2025, children used bee counters alongside daisies to match numbers. Staff also encouraged conversation by asking questions about tools during play. Story sessions included pauses for children to consider events and predict what might follow, giving them time to form an answer rather than rushing the exchange.

Smartie the Penguin adds an internet-safety programme. Families are encouraged to share its information at home, connecting this part of nursery learning with conversations beyond the setting.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play continues across different weather conditions. Families need to send appropriate clothing for cold days and ensure children have sun protection in hot weather; children who are not suitably dressed stay indoors. That makes preparation at home part of access to outdoor play.

The setting operates for the benefit of the local community through a board of directors. Parents can contribute a skill or talent, or help with activities when they have time. This gives family involvement a practical form alongside conversations about an individual child's learning.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a key person, introduced through the stay-and-play meeting. Before admission, that session brings family and staff together, establishes starting points for learning and allows paperwork to be completed. It gives the relationship a beginning before regular attendance starts.

The recommendation to attend for two full days is intended to support settling. It is a recommendation, rather than a stated minimum booking requirement. For parents weighing shorter sessions against whole days, that distinction matters.

In September 2025, staff gathered information from families about what children could already do and used it to plan subsequent learning. Parents received updates online and through conversations at collection. This connected information from home with the child's experience in the pre-school.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

For children with special educational needs, the admissions policy provides for a meeting with parents before they start and reasonable adjustments to support admission. It also addresses participation by children and parents with disabilities. These are concrete arrangements families can discuss in relation to their own needs.

In September 2025, children practised dressing, managing personal care and washing their hands in sequence, with explanations and help from staff. Adults also discussed food and health at mealtimes and explained safe ways to use play equipment. These everyday tasks connected independence with preparation for school.

Lunch comes from home, while the daily snack offers seasonal vegetables or fruit with water or milk. Snacks attract a separate charge, which families can decline in writing if they supply a daily snack that follows the nursery's healthy eating policy in a named container.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Paddox Primary School, Fareham Avenue, Rugby, CV22 5HS. Term-time sessions run Monday to Friday, with the day running from 9am to 3pm; the paid-session structure also includes three-hour attendance.

A waiting-list application form is the joining route, and children in their pre-school year receive priority. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email. Neither the waiting-list system nor the priority rule indicates how many places are free.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible two-year-olds can claim funding. For children aged three and four, the offer includes the 15 hours funding (nursery grant), with the 30-hour funding code dependent on meeting the relevant criteria. Delivery follows the term-time attendance pattern.

Private sessions are also offered. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation, including the snack arrangements: lunches are parent-provided, snacks are charged separately, and the written opt-out requires a daily parent-provided snack that follows the nursery's healthy eating policy in a named container. Families are also responsible for ensuring children wear sun block for hot-weather outdoor play.

Attendance at Squirrels does not guarantee a Reception place at Paddox Primary School. Sharing the school grounds should therefore be treated separately from securing a school place.

• Length of attendance. Three-hour and six-hour sessions offer different ways to use the term-time day, while two full days are recommended for settling. At a visit, discuss how your intended pattern would support your child's adjustment.
• Language and staff development. At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted asked for more opportunities to use children's home languages and for staff to reflect on their work and development. Families using another language at home should discuss how it will feature in their child's learning.
• Outdoor preparation. Puddles, painting and play across the seasons call for spare clothes and suitable weather protection. Children who are inappropriately dressed remain indoors, so clothing choices affect participation.
• The school site. A place at Squirrels carries no guarantee of admission to Paddox Primary School. Families choosing it with that school in mind need to keep the two decisions separate.

Squirrels suits families seeking either three-hour half-day sessions or six-hour full days during term time, with play, songs and practical independence woven into the routine. Its key-person arrangement and pre-admission stay-and-play meeting give settling a clear structure. The school setting is useful context, but it brings no promise of a Reception place; language support and staff reflection remain the specific development points to discuss.