Sticky Fingers Pre-School

Child-height sinks, low windows and a breakfast bar built within children's reach give Sticky Fingers Pre-School a practical character: children can help prepare snacks and take part in cookery rather than simply watch adults do it. This charity pre-school sits within the grounds of Abbas and Templecombe Church School in Templecombe. Its scale is modest, with capacity for 24 children, and it welcomes children aged two to four.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective. The detail behind that judgement matters: outdoor exploration, imaginative play and everyday mathematics featured strongly, alongside two specific improvements concerning the consistency of teaching and early sound-and-letter work. Those findings describe practice at that time.

Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings provide different ways to use the setting, with a breakfast club adding an earlier start. Parent participation is another part of its character: a largely parent-led committee oversees the charity, while fundraising helps pay for equipment and improvements.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning and care, with play and observation helping staff understand what children are learning and plan their next experiences. Here, accessible counters and basins give that learning an everyday setting. Preparing food becomes something children can participate in, while low windows let them see beyond the classroom.

In June 2022, mathematical ideas emerged through conversation and exploration. Children identified shapes while investigating textures, encountered the idea of halves and used number language during their own play. The useful point is the connection between an adult introducing an idea and a child trying it independently. Mathematics was part of activity, rather than confined to a separate exercise.

Imaginative play also had concrete settings in June 2022. A dark den offered sensory exploration; an outdoor playhouse became an ice-cream shop. Children talked with one another as they played, giving make-believe a social and language dimension. These are specific examples of the inspected day, rather than a promise that the same equipment or activities remain unchanged.

The June 2022 improvement priorities were equally specific. Staff needed to adapt the delivery of activities more consistently so children at different ages could benefit fully, and create more chances to connect spoken sounds with written letters. For parents, the distinction is useful: having interesting activities is one question; making those activities work for each child's stage of learning is another.

For the 2025–26 year, Moo Music added separately charged Thursday music sessions lasting 40 minutes. Songs explored themes including colours, shapes and farmyard life, with action songs bringing movement into the session. This was an addition to the everyday learning programme for that year.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor space is used several times during the day. Wellies stay at the setting for wet-weather garden play and outings, so the practical expectation is that children come equipped to take part beyond the classroom.

In June 2022, the forest school area gave children places to investigate insects and discover where woodlice lived. Pirate play turned spades into pretend oars, while wheeled toys required children to steer along garden paths. A climbing wall, fashioned from part of a bandstand, offered another physical challenge and opportunities to practise gripping.

The same June 2022 account included village walks, a visit to see apples being pressed into juice and a farm visit to learn about animals. These experiences connected children's play with real processes and places beyond the setting. No frequency was attached to those outings.

Relationships and Communication

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children had close bonds with their key person and other staff, made good progress and benefited from positive relationships between staff and parents. That gives the care picture a clear foundation, while keeping the quality judgement tied to its date.

Tapestry, an online learning journal containing photographs, observations and comments, provides a current route for sharing children's experiences. Families can contribute comments and information about learning at home, rather than receiving updates in only one direction. Email notifications can alert parents when a new observation is added, making the journal easier to follow between conversations with staff.

The recommendation is for children to attend at least two sessions each week to help them settle. This is a recommendation, rather than a compulsory booking minimum. It gives families a concrete starting point when deciding whether a pattern of short sessions will provide enough continuity for their child.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENCO works with outside agencies to support individual children and their families. The team also includes an equality co-ordinator, a designated safeguarding lead and a deputy safeguarding lead. These are defined responsibilities within the setting; they should be distinguished from the dated inspection judgement about how effectively safeguarding operated.

Daily toothbrushing after lunch is led by a practitioner with responsibility for dental care. It puts a health routine into the nursery day. In June 2022, children also practised handwashing around outdoor play and meals, and staff used conversation to explore healthy food choices.

Parents supply packed lunches; snacks carry a voluntary separate charge. Nappies and wipes come from home when needed, alongside spare clothing, so families retain a practical role in preparing for the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Abbas and Templecombe Church School, School Lane, Templecombe, Somerset BA8 0HP. Opening hours run from 8am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday; the usual preschool day begins at 8.45am, with breakfast club covering the earlier part of the morning.

Morning sessions run from 8.45am to noon and afternoon sessions from noon to 3.30pm. A full day runs from 8.45am to 3.30pm, while breakfast club runs from 8am to 8.45am. Families can combine mornings and afternoons or book full days. This makes the distinction between the opening window and the booked session clear, especially for parents planning an earlier start.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by email, and a separate registration form lets families specify days, sessions and interest in breakfast club. The attendance recommendation remains two sessions a week for settling.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted from age two, including the 30 hour extended working parent funding and universal 15 hour funding for three- and four-year-olds. The setting also participates in Tax-Free Childcare. All opening hours can be used towards funded childcare hours, and additional hours beyond a child's funded entitlement are paid privately. Eligibility for an entitlement remains separate from the setting's participation in it.

Parents provide packed lunches and, where required, nappies and wipes; snacks have a voluntary charge. Trips may attract an additional charge, agreed beforehand. Current prices for private hours and paid extras should be obtained in the nursery's written quotation; the funding and fees information explains the structure.

Being on the school site gives transition a practical connection. The nursery describes its links with Abbas and Templecombe Church School as helping children move into school life. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Teaching across ages. The June 2022 priorities concerned adapting activities for different developmental stages and connecting sounds with letters. A visit is a useful opportunity to ask how these now work for younger children and those approaching school.
• A session-based week. Mornings, afternoons and full days can be combined, with two sessions a week recommended for settling. Consider which pattern gives your child continuity and whether breakfast club fits your working day.
• School-site transition. The connection with Abbas and Templecombe Church School supports familiarity with the next stage, but a Reception place requires a separate application. Keep childcare arrangements and school admissions decisions distinct.

Sticky Fingers suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, as well as those who want full days with an optional breakfast start. Child-sized facilities, regular use of outdoor space and Tapestry give its offer practical substance. Parents can also participate in the charity's committee and fundraising.

The June 2022 Good judgement supports a positive assessment of that inspection-era provision, with clear teaching priorities to explore now. This is a preschool choice shaped by participation: children help with everyday tasks, families contribute to communication and the charity, and the school-site link offers familiarity while leaving Reception admissions separate.