Rackerhayes Pre School

An open hall, a Sensory Garden and Rackerhayes Village give this Kingsteignton preschool a character built around choice and exploration. Children mix across ages, select activities and move between indoor and outdoor experiences, while a designated classroom provides space for more directed learning. This is a community preschool with practical opportunities for parents to help shape its work.

Rackerhayes Pre School has 30 places in total and accepts children from 18 months until school age. Its home is Chudleigh Road Hall (St Michaels Church Hall), on Chudleigh Road in Kingsteignton. At its October 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Outstanding, with teaching that encouraged sustained attention and discussion. That judgement belongs to the inspection date.

Attendance is during term time, with flexible hours and drop-off and collection arrangements intended to accommodate siblings' school schedules. The combination of mixed-age play, smaller adult-led activities and parent involvement is the defining offer.

Learning and Activities

Children learn within the Early Years Foundation Stage through play and planned experiences matched to their interests and development. In parent language, that means learning happens through conversation, making, movement and exploration, as well as activities organised by adults. The framework provides the foundation; the open hall and classroom determine how the day is arranged here.

Free play includes construction, imaginative activities and arts and crafts. Around midday, smaller groups gather for songs, stories, games and shared projects, including activities supporting speech and language. Children therefore have both opportunities to choose what interests them and time to take part in something organised together. The designated classroom also supports particular areas of learning and preparation for school.

In October 2022, children investigated a space topic by modelling aliens with clay and golf tees. Staff also responded to an interest in rainfall by providing transparent containers to collect water, examine patterns and measure it. These examples show the difference between simply offering materials and using children's curiosity to develop an activity: an interest became something to make, discuss or investigate.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Sensory Garden includes fruit trees, while Rackerhayes Village sits alongside a construction zone, mud kitchen and large sand pit. These spaces give children different starting points for sensory, building and imaginative play. An undercover outdoor area adds a sheltered option for fresh air and physical activity in wet weather.

A Purpose Built Sensory Room provides another setting for sensory experiences. Together with the hall and outdoor spaces, it gives families several environments to consider when thinking about how their child likes to play. The mixed-age arrangement is equally significant: children interact with peers at different stages rather than spending the whole day within a separate age room.

In October 2022, the indoor climbing frame gave children opportunities to practise physical skills and judge manageable risks. Outside, children worked together in the mud kitchen to prepare an imaginary meal. The physical spaces supported movement and cooperation as well as individual exploration.

Relationships and Communication

A key person is allocated to each child to support settling and work with the family. Records track individual needs and development, and children's folders bring together photographs and examples of their work. This gives parents a tangible account of their child's experiences, alongside the relationship with a familiar member of staff.

Settling is approached individually. Parents can stay while their child gains confidence, allowing the move into preschool to happen at a pace suited to the child. Uniform is optional, with both new and preloved clothing offered; families can therefore choose whether it helps their own routine.

Parent participation extends beyond conversations about one child. The community committee meets once or twice each term, reviews policies and helps organise fundraising. Parents, carers and other community members can join, giving families a direct way to contribute ideas about the preschool and its resources. A half-termly newsletter carries committee information.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding and strong SEND support, including staff training, work with speech and language therapy services and copies of individual support resources for families to use at home. The combination mattered: support could continue beyond the preschool day rather than relying solely on sessions in the setting.

Current staff roles include a designated safeguarding lead and a senior SENDCO. The team undertakes continuing training through workshops, conferences and online or in-house learning. These are practical arrangements for maintaining staff knowledge; the dated inspection judgement remains the basis for the assessment of effectiveness.

In October 2022, children practised handwashing and learnt about toothbrushing and trying unfamiliar foods. Everyday health routines were therefore part of learning, alongside play and conversation.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 9am to 3.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9am to 1.30pm on Wednesday. Rackerhayes opens for 30.5 hours each week across 38 term-time weeks in the academic year. Flexible hours, drop-offs and collections are offered, which can help families coordinate preschool attendance with an older child's school day.

Places are allocated by date of birth, subject to availability. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 07791867573 or by email to Rackerhayesmanager@live.co.uk. The address is Chudleigh Road Hall (St Michaels Church Hall), Chudleigh Road, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, TQ12 3JU.

Funding and Paid Extras

Paid and funded childcare are offered from 18 months, subject to entitlement eligibility. Eligible families can share funding between two settings, up to 15 or 30 hours per week, and purchase additional hours. Funding is delivered during term time; eligible working parents can use their full 30-hour entitlement here within the opening week. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation.

Children bring a packed lunch, while morning snacks, milk and water are supplied at no additional charge. The preschool's lunch policy excludes nuts and sweets, and dietary requirements are displayed in the kitchen for staff.

School transition involves contact with primary schools and accommodating children's school visits. This helps families manage the practical move towards school, without establishing an admissions advantage.

• Wednesday finishes earlier. The 1.30pm closing time differs from the 3.30pm finish on the other weekdays. Families needing a consistent afternoon routine should weigh that difference alongside the flexible attendance arrangements.
• Mixed ages and an open hall. Children choose activities and interact across ages, with smaller adult-led groups also part of the day. During a visit, ask how the classroom and sensory spaces are used for an 18-month-old alongside children preparing for school.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Families supply lunch under a policy excluding nuts and sweets. If your child has an allergy, confirm how their requirements are handled in practice, including morning snacks.
• Term-time funding. Attendance runs across 38 weeks, with additional hours paid separately. When joining, request a written quotation showing the proposed funded and paid pattern and how any shared entitlement will be allocated.

Rackerhayes suits families seeking flexible term-time attendance in a mixed-age preschool, with scope for shorter visits within its opening day. Its open hall, sheltered outdoor space and sensory environments make play and exploration central to the offer, while key-person support and flexible settling give families concrete ways into preschool life.

The October 2022 Outstanding judgement is substantial, but the practical decision also turns on the shorter Wednesday, parent-provided lunches and school-term calendar. For parents who value community involvement and a balance of child-chosen play with adult-led learning, this is a compelling option.