Minus Five Preschool

Victory Park gives Minus Five Preschool its strongest physical identity: a preschool based in the park’s Pavilion, with the surrounding facilities forming part of its play offer. Its committee-run, non-profit structure gives parents a role beyond their own child’s attendance. This is a preschool with a practical community connection.

Children can join from age two, and there are 18 places in total. At its April 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good overall and for education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. That assessment provides a positive starting point, alongside two clear improvement priorities: keeping children consistently absorbed in worthwhile activities and giving afternoon children dependable outdoor opportunities.

Attendance follows the school terms, with morning and afternoon sessions alongside a longer day on some weekdays. The choices matter: families can build attendance around shorter sessions rather than taking the longer day by default.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play, covering communication, relationships, movement and self-care alongside literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. A key person uses each child’s interests and needs to shape their learning. The main play room provides space for children to choose activities and play independently; the curriculum therefore connects individual attention with opportunities to explore.

Early Talk Boost adds a specific language-support option. A practitioner can deliver this programme for three- and four-year-olds experiencing early language delay. That is a concrete addition for families whose child needs help with communication, rather than simply a broad promise about language development.

In April 2022, pretend shopping and serving food gave children opportunities to play together, while real fruit connected their games with snack preparation. A reading area supported shared books and favourite stories. Adults also developed children’s car-ramp play by introducing guttering, encouraging them to work out how to connect pieces and direct the cars towards a target. These examples show how familiar play could become a problem to solve.

Speech received sustained attention in April 2022: adults talked with children during play, left time for answers and used expressive storytelling to draw them into books. The limitation was consistency. At that date, the organisation of activities and the environment needed attention so that children remained engaged in learning that stretched them.

Outdoor and Community Life

Victory Park is part of the current offer, with the preschool using its facilities. The park setting gives outdoor play a recognisable place in the preschool’s identity.

In April 2022, children used the adjoining play park for climbing, balancing and sliding, with staff supervising them closely. However, afternoon attendance did not bring the same dependable outdoor opportunities as morning attendance. That distinction is more useful to parents than a general claim that children enjoy outdoor play: the session chosen affected the experience.

A key-person arrangement connects care with learning, while the SENCO works with families and relevant agencies to agree goals and arrange individual educational plans where appropriate. This gives parents specific mechanisms for discussing their child’s needs. Support is framed around what the preschool can provide for the individual child.

At the April 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, positive progress for children including those with SEND and additional funding, and constructive links with parents and speech and language therapists. These are dated findings, rather than guarantees about a child’s future experience.

In April 2022, settling was adapted to individual needs, with emotional wellbeing receiving close attention. Staff shared children’s next learning steps across the team, and parents received updates about progress and ways to continue learning at home. Clear expectations about sharing and taking turns helped children practise the social skills needed for school.

The staffing structure includes a safeguarding lead, a SENCO and staff with paediatric first-aid training. All but one staff member holds a qualification, and staff undertake regular training. These arrangements give families identifiable responsibilities within the team; they do not replace the dated safeguarding judgement.

Parents supply fruit for shared snacks and a packed lunch for the longer day; nappies and wipes also come from home. Spare clothes belong in a named bag. Following sickness or diarrhoea, children must stay away until 48 hours have passed since the final episode, a rule families need to build into their childcare planning.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9am to midday, Monday to Friday. Afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3pm, Tuesday to Friday, and a term-time day from 9am to 3pm is also offered Tuesday to Friday. A packed lunch accompanies that longer attendance pattern.

The preschool opens for 37 weeks. These are term-time arrangements, so the session choices serve families seeking a preschool rhythm around the school year. Enrolment involves completing a form and returning it to the preschool; telephone and email contact are also provided.

Getting There

The address is The Pavilion, Victory Park, Chertsey Road, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 2EW. Drivers must approach the preschool through Victory Park Road, which is the stated car-access route.

Funding and Paid Extras

Minus Five accepts FEET funding for eligible children from the term following their second birthday. For children from the term after turning three, it can claim the entitlement of up to 15 hours weekly over up to 38 weeks, while the preschool itself opens for 37 weeks; some three-year-olds qualify for 30 hours subject to the relevant criteria.

Families provide snack fruit, packed lunches for the longer day, and nappies and wipes, including when using funded attendance. A blue sweatshirt and yellow polo shirt can be bought, but uniform is optional.

• Afternoon outdoor play. In April 2022, afternoon children had less consistent access to outdoor learning than morning children. On a visit, ask how outdoor time now works for the particular session you plan to use.
• Challenge during play. The April 2022 improvement priority included sustaining children’s engagement through better activity delivery and organisation. Ask to see how staff extend a child’s chosen play and respond when interest fades.
• Term-time logistics. Opening covers 37 weeks, and the longer day requires a packed lunch. This pattern needs to fit your holiday arrangements as well as your working day.
• Parent participation. An autumn-term annual general meeting elects the committee, and parental support matters to the preschool’s operation. Consider how you would like to contribute to this community role.

Minus Five suits families seeking morning preschool sessions, shorter afternoon attendance or a longer term-time day. Victory Park, a key-person system and Early Talk Boost give the offer concrete shape, while the parent committee adds a participatory element. The April 2022 assessment was positive, but its priorities deserve attention: consistent challenge during play and the outdoor experience for afternoon children are the most useful points to explore before choosing a session.