Aston on Trent Pre-School

Village life gives Aston on Trent Pre-School much of its character. Its base is the Aston on Trent War Memorial Hall, with an outdoor area used throughout the year and outings taking children into the surrounding village. Woods, a nature reserve, shops and the park extend the day beyond indoor play. Participation in the Living Advent Calendar, a December event revealing windows day by day, connects the preschool with a recognisable local tradition.

At its October 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found that activities were adapted to support children with SEND, while identifying weaknesses in information-sharing and the explanation of planned learning. Those improvement points matter alongside the positive judgement. They concern how well each practitioner understands a child and how clearly an activity helps that child learn.

Children can join from age 2 until they start school, and the setting has 50 places in total. These are whole-setting places, rather than the size of an individual group. Morning, afternoon and preschool-day bookings sit alongside wraparound care, giving families several ways to organise attendance.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage frames children's learning, development and care through play, conversation, physical activity and growing independence. Adult-guided activities sit alongside children's own choices, giving both a place in the day.

In October 2024, children made rockets from shapes and discussed the features they had designed. Practitioners introduced mathematical vocabulary during the activity, making construction a chance to talk about shape as well as create something imaginative. The weakness was in explaining activities clearly enough for children to connect the intended learning with what they were doing. An engaging task did not necessarily make its learning purpose clear.

In October 2024, children recalled a space story and used props to enact its main character's preparations. Books carried into imaginative play, giving children a way to use the story's language and ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

Year-round outdoor play extends children's day beyond the hall. Outings to the park, woods, shops and nature reserve make the village itself part of their experience.

In October 2024, children used the mobile library and made crafts with retirement-village residents. Books and shared activities brought contact with people beyond their preschool group.

The Living Advent Calendar reveals windows each day in December, and the preschool has participated in the event. It is a village connection with a clear shared activity. Other outings and visiting activities can involve an additional charge, so their practical value sits alongside a cost consideration for families.

Relationships and Communication

When a place can be offered, an induction or taster morning lets children play for 1 to 2 hours with a parent present. Families also discuss paperwork and preschool routines, giving children a supported introduction before attending independently.

In October 2024, children helped friends find their boots and included one another in pretend play. Practitioners sat alongside children during meals, using conversation as part of the social experience. Children also practised practical tasks such as pouring drinks and getting dressed for outdoor play. These small routines gave them opportunities to do more for themselves.

Communication with families has a specific improvement point. In October 2024, information collected when children joined did not consistently reach the practitioners who needed it, leaving key persons with an incomplete understanding of family circumstances. Daily activity updates and information about progress were shared with parents at that time, alongside support for learning at home. Receiving updates and ensuring information travels back through the team are separate parts of that relationship.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SENCO coordinates individual care plans, risk assessments, activity adaptations and referrals with parents, practitioners and outside professionals. Passing relevant information to the next setting also forms part of the role, supporting continuity when a child moves on.

Children do not have to be toilet trained before joining. Families supply nappies or pull-ups, wipes and spare clothing; they also bring named sun cream for summer use. All staff have paediatric first-aid training. Parents nominate the person collecting their child, notify the preschool of changes and provide a collection password, giving the team a specific procedure to follow.

Families send a packed lunch for Lunch Club, and practitioners sit with the children while they eat; the preschool publishes a nut-free policy covering nut products and foods labelled as potentially containing nuts. Morning snacks have a voluntary contribution billed separately, while Breakfast Club provides breakfast.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Memorial Hall, Chellaston Lane, Aston-on-Trent, DE72 2AX. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Preschool itself runs from 9am to 3pm. The wider opening window includes wraparound provision, so it should not be confused with a single preschool booking.

A Preschool Day runs from 9am to 3pm. Mornings cover 9am to noon, Afternoons run from 1pm to 3pm, and the optional Lunch Club occupies noon to 1pm. Families can therefore choose shorter sessions or a preschool day, with lunch arrangements forming a separate part of the timetable.

Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am to 9am. After School Club has two finishing options: 4.30pm or 6pm, both starting at 3pm; an ad-hoc extension for preschool children runs from 4.30pm to 6pm. Ad-hoc bookings depend on space and staffing ratios. Wraparound care also serves children aged 5 to 11 attending Aston-on-Trent Primary School, which is a childcare arrangement rather than an admissions benefit.

Applications are made online, with priority for children living in Aston-on-Trent and those nearer school-starting age. Children awaiting an offer, including those not yet old enough to start, can join the waiting list; being on it does not guarantee a place. Admissions and business enquiries can be made on 01332 793169. Wraparound enquiries use a separate form requesting the days and times needed.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered to eligible families, subject to space, within the term-time timetable. The funding arrangements include 15 hours from the term after a child's third birthday, an extra 15 hours for qualifying families where both parents work, and support from the term after age 2 for some families receiving qualifying benefits. Eligibility needs to be established for the individual family. Funding can also cover Lunch Club.

For funded Lunch Club attendance, parents still supply the packed lunch. Nappies, wipes and sun cream likewise come from home; morning snacks carry a separately invoiced voluntary contribution that families can decline by emailing the office. Some trips and visitors bring additional charges. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation, with the charge structure set out on its fees page.

Invoices arrive monthly, and four weeks' notice is required before changing childcare bookings. Breakfast and after-school bookings remain payable during absence; preschool fees also continue during short absences without notice, including illness and holidays. Funded attendance terms require children to attend 85% of their funded hours each term, with the full charge passed to parents if funding is lost because those terms are not met. Absences are reported through Famly and by text to the setting.

• Learning made clear. In October 2024, planned activities did not consistently connect their purpose with children's experience. During a visit, ask how a task such as construction is introduced and how practitioners recognise what children learn from it.
• Information reaching the key person. The October 2024 improvement point concerned sharing children's family backgrounds across the team. Ask how information given at induction reaches everyone caring for your child.
• Term-time planning and attendance. Shorter sessions, preschool days and wraparound bookings serve different schedules, but the offer is term-time and funded attendance terms include an 85% threshold. Match the booking pattern and absence terms to your family's calendar.
• Food and allergies. Packed lunches come from home and the nut-free policy includes foods that may contain nuts. Allergy-affected families should confirm current handling arrangements before choosing Lunch Club or Breakfast Club.

Aston on Trent Pre-School suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions as well as a 9am-to-3pm preschool day, with breakfast and after-school options around them. Its hall base, outdoor play and village activities give the offer a clear local character. The SENCO's care-planning role and parent-accompanied induction add practical substance to the care arrangements.

The October 2024 Good judgement sits alongside concerns about learning explanations and information-sharing. Families should weigh those points together with term-time operation, packed lunches and attendance terms.