Explorers Pre-School

A school learning garden and parent participation give Explorers Pre-School its character: outdoor exploration, with connections beyond the playroom. This charity and committee-run setting occupies the grounds of St Nicholas Primary School in Henstridge but operates independently from the school. Parents and local residents contribute to its management.

Explorers has 16 places in total, for children aged 24 to 60 months. That is whole-setting capacity, rather than a promise about the number attending any particular session. At its December 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective, with children making good progress.

Term-time attendance includes mornings, afternoons and full days. The strongest decision points are the school-ground access, opportunities for parents to participate and practical preparation for greater independence; the teaching of younger children during group activities deserves closer attention.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the requirements for children's learning, development and welfare. For parents, this means activities that build knowledge and skills, alongside assessment of each child's development and arrangements for their care. It is the shared foundation for early-years provision, rather than an extra programme exclusive to Explorers.

In December 2024, activities drew on a weekly book, children's interests and their next learning steps. Watching ice melt as water was poured over it gave children a concrete way to explore cause and effect. Counting while building towers and discussing sandwich shapes brought mathematical language into ordinary play. Learning did not depend entirely on sitting together for a lesson.

The same month's literacy work included a weekly letter and recognising the sounds at the beginning of words. Staff had also identified that older children needed more help with scissor control in preparation for school. These are specific examples of school preparation through language and practical skills, rather than simply making the day resemble a classroom.

Adult-led teaching was less consistent. The December 2024 teaching priorities were: make individual learning aims clearer during planned activities, and adjust group teaching more effectively for younger children, whose attention was drifting. Families should weigh those points alongside the positive examples of play and exploration.

Outdoor and Community Life

School-ground access adds useful physical variety. Children can use the field for running, climbing equipment for movement and the learning garden for forest school activity, an outdoor learning opportunity within the school grounds. The connection gives Explorers access to spaces beyond its own indoor and outdoor environment.

In December 2024, younger children practised balance and coordination on the garden steps, while older children steered balance bikes around one another. A renovated outdoor area also encouraged interest in wildlife and nature. These examples show different demands for different stages of physical development.

Community experiences extended further that month: apple pressing at a local farm involved families, and regular village-hall visits brought children together with older residents for singing. The value is concrete contact with people and activities outside the setting, rather than learning about community only through books.

Relationships and Communication

Keyworker roles form part of the staff structure, alongside a manager, deputy manager and senior practitioner. The team also includes a practitioner leading the toothbrushing scheme, giving oral care an identified place in its work with children.

Parents can contribute ideas about how the pre-school develops and help organise fundraising events through the committee. This gives families a practical role in shaping the setting, alongside following their own child's learning.

Tapestry is each child's online learning journal. Staff share observations using photographs or videos, and parents can contribute their own observations and comments. That makes communication two-way: families can see experiences from the pre-school day and add information from home, with the journal following development through to the move to primary school.

In December 2024, staff used familiar routines, clear expectations, books and conversations about feelings to help children manage emotions. Reassurance and physical comfort were part of their responses to children's needs. Parents had also attended a parents' evening and discussed their children's development with staff.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Developmental observations were being used in December 2024 to identify areas needing additional help. Links with local health visitors supported work with children and families. Staff also discussed reducing dummy use with parents because of its effect on speech, connecting everyday care decisions with communication development.

Snacks are supplied in both the morning and afternoon, while families provide packed lunches and water bottles; children can reach their bottles during the session. Explorers has a policy prohibiting nuts and invites discussion of dietary requirements, so food planning involves both the setting and home.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Nicholas Primary School, Ash Walk, Henstridge, Somerset, BA8 0QD. Explorers opens Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 3.15pm, during term time only. School holidays therefore require a separate childcare plan.

Morning sessions run from 8.45am to noon, with a stay-for-lunch option extending them to 1pm. Afternoon sessions run from noon to 3.15pm, and full days from 8.45am to 3.15pm. These are genuinely different attendance choices: a morning can include lunch, while an afternoon offers a later start.

Funding and Paid Extras

Explorers accepts funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds, including the 30 hours extended funding, within its term-time provision. It also participates in Tax-Free Childcare. Participation does not establish an individual family's eligibility; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Moving on to School

The relationship with St Nicholas Primary School includes contact with its Reception teacher to support children leaving pre-school. That offers continuity between the two settings, but attending Explorers does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Younger children in group activities. The December 2024 teaching priorities concerned individual learning aims and adapting group work for younger children. During a visit, ask how those changes work in a mixed-age activity.
• Lunch and dietary needs. Families supply packed lunches, and the setting prohibits nuts. Discuss your child's dietary requirements and confirm current allergy practice before choosing lunch attendance.
• Term-time care and parent involvement. Attendance stops for school holidays, while informal committee meetings take place online each month. Consider how both the calendar and opportunities to contribute fit your family's routine.

Explorers suits families seeking morning care, afternoon attendance or a full pre-school day during term time. Its school-ground access, Tapestry journals and parent committee give the offer substance, while the Reception-teacher relationship supports preparation for the next stage. The December 2024 teaching priorities remain the useful point to explore: outdoor opportunities and warm relationships should sit alongside activities that engage younger children and give each child a clear next step.