Dorchester on Thames Pre-School

Two outdoor areas and a place beside the village primary school give Dorchester on Thames Pre-School a recognisable character. Based at Horsa Hut in Dorchester-on-Thames, it welcomes children aged 2 to 4 and has 20 places in total. The garden and outdoor play space make outdoor activity part of the setting’s everyday offer, rather than an occasional change of scene.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good and found safeguarding effective, with children making sustained progress through activities that interested them. The practical strengths were clear: imaginative play, conversation and growing independence. There were also two specific improvements to make, concerning time to answer questions and interruptions around snacks.

A volunteer committee runs the charity, giving parents an opportunity to contribute to decisions about the setting. Half-day and full-day attendance are both offered during term time.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning through play, covering language, physical development, relationships and early skills in areas such as maths and literacy. Within that framework, a theme shapes activities each half term. This gives staff a shared starting point while leaving room for children to choose what they play with.

Maths Corner and Construction Play are named parts of the indoor space. The daily timetable starts with conversation about feelings, songs and counting, before children choose activities across the setting. A special helper is selected during group time, giving children a role in the routine rather than simply asking them to follow it.

In February 2024, children used puppets to invent and perform stories together. Other play involved handling noodles with chopsticks, exploring damp sand and investigating natural materials. These examples show how talking, imaginative play and control of small movements can sit within the same activity.

During that month, staff introduced counting, colours and shapes while children handled straws and pom-poms. The important detail is the connection between an object a child is using and the language an adult brings to the task. Learning was embedded in practical play.

Rising 4s is a timetable activity for children approaching their September move to school. It gives school preparation a defined place in the day alongside general play, rather than making every activity about the next stage.

Outdoor and Community Life

The two outdoor areas are used with the aim of getting outside daily, including wet weather. Climbing equipment and gardening activities add different kinds of movement and exploration. The Willow Garden area also features in the permissions families complete before their child attends.

Outdoor play is included in both the morning and afternoon routine. In February 2024, children climbed equipment and rode wheeled toys, providing opportunities to practise larger movements alongside the finer control needed indoors. For a child who enjoys being active, that balance is a useful part of the offer.

Each child is assigned a key person, who becomes the family’s main contact for discussing development. A letter identifies that person when the child starts. Children can spend time at the setting with a parent before their starting date, making settling a process that begins before regular attendance.

In February 2024, staff gathered information from families when children joined and worked with other professionals involved in their care. They also liaised with local schools over the move into full-time education. This connects what staff know about a child at pre-school with the people supporting their next stage.

The team includes a designated safeguarding lead role and a deputy manager who is also the SENDCo. The application asks about special educational needs, EHCPs, medical conditions and involvement from specialists such as speech or occupational therapists. It also seeks permission for language and development screening. These are concrete routes for sharing support needs at the outset.

Daily care includes handwashing and toothbrushing in the afternoon routine. In February 2024, children practised managing their shoes and personal hygiene themselves, with adult help where needed. These small tasks matter: independence develops through repeated opportunities to do ordinary things.

Families receive notices by email and a newsletter at the beginning of term. Photography and video are used to document learning, while promotional use of a child’s image requires separate written consent that parents can later change or withdraw.

Sessions and Attendance

The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, from 8.45am to 3pm, for 38 weeks each year. Bookable sessions are morning, 9am to noon; afternoon, 1pm to 3pm; and full day, 9am to 3pm. Half-day attendance can include an optional Lunch Club, booked from noon to 1pm, and early drop-off runs from 8.45am to 9am.

Term dates broadly follow Oxfordshire schools, but INSET closures can differ between establishments. Some term endings also finish at 1pm. Families planning work around the day need to use the pre-school’s own calendar.

Enquiries go to the manager by email or telephone on 01865 341805. The application process includes a form, enrolment information and a parent questionnaire. A deposit secures an offered place; for fee-paying attendance it is credited against the first invoice, while fully funded families receive it back during the child’s first term. Cancellation before the start date makes it non-refundable.

Getting There

The address is Horsa Hut, Queen Street, Dorchester-on-Thames, OX10 7HR, with access from Manor Farm Road beside the garden. Parking on the zig-zag markings outside the school gates is prohibited.

The pre-school shares grounds with St Birinus Church of England Primary School and describes links supporting the move into Reception. Attending the pre-school does not guarantee a school place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered during term time, including universal 15-hour funding for 3- and 4-year-olds starting in the term after their third birthday, and working-parent funding subject to eligibility and code validation. Benefit-led funding is also offered for eligible 2-year-olds. Private hours are charged separately; current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation.

Parents supply packed lunches and fruit or vegetables for snacks, while milk or water is offered; the parent pack asks families to avoid nuts and sesame or hummus. Parents also supply nappies, pull-ups, wipes and sun cream, while the contract reserves the right to charge separately for meals, snacks and non-food items such as craft materials and nappies on funded attendance when applicable.

The cancellation rule requires a full term’s written notice for leaving or permanently reducing hours. Charges continue for applicable fees during that notice period, regardless of attendance. This is a significant commitment for families whose childcare needs may change mid-term.

• Conversation and snack routines. In February 2024, adults sometimes moved to another question before children had time to respond, and lining up for snacks interrupted some children’s play unnecessarily. Visits require advance booking; use yours to discuss how these routines now work.
• Two-year-old funding. Funding descriptions give both 15 and 30 hours for working parents of 2-year-olds. Ask which entitlement and attendance arrangement would apply to your child before agreeing hours.
• Term-time commitments. The 38-week calendar includes INSET closures and some 1pm finishes. Match those dates to your work arrangements, especially if another child attends a different setting.
• Contract and food arrangements. A full term’s written notice applies to cancellation or reduced hours, and funded attendance can attract charges for additional items when applicable. Obtain the written charge breakdown before signing, and discuss current food restrictions and handling with staff if your child has an allergy.

Dorchester on Thames Pre-School suits families seeking either shorter morning or afternoon sessions, or a full school-length day during term time. Outdoor areas, practical play and a defined school-preparation activity give the offer substance, while the committee model provides a way for parents to take part in its management.

The February 2024 judgement provides a positive inspection foundation, with specific weaknesses rather than a reason to overlook daily practice. The decision rests on how the session pattern fits family life, how the child settles with their key person, and whether the funding and contractual arrangements work for the household.