Mitton Manor Pre-School and After School Club

A purpose-built Early Years Centre in the grounds of Mitton Manor Primary School gives this community-run pre-school a clear identity: play now, preparation for school alongside it. Parents and carers help run the charitable group through a voluntary committee. This is childcare with a practical route for families to take part in its organisation.

At its July 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective, with positive findings about children's language development and support for those who found spoken communication harder. The pre-school has 31 places in total. Children can start from their second birthday, and care continues until they start school.

Morning, afternoon and all-day bookings provide different ways to build an attendance pattern. Despite the registered name, after-school care had ceased by July 2025.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play, with activities adapted to children's development. A key person tracks each child's progress and takes their group aside for brief games and activities. This gives purposeful small-group work a place within the main play session, rather than making the whole day a sequence of adult-led tasks.

Majors Group is for children in their pre-school year, with classroom visits, singing and stories supporting preparation for primary school; Minors Group combines younger children's free play with songs, stories and activities, gradually extending the time spent together as their attention develops. Children of different ages can attend the same sessions. These are learning groups within the provision.

In July 2025, children could choose play resources independently, while staff had trained in in-the-moment planning, responding to learning opportunities as play unfolded. Adults added vocabulary and talked through children's activities. One example involved children tapping out syllables in words and names, linking spoken language with an enjoyable physical task.

Books and early mark-making also featured that July. Children browsed independently, listened to animated storytelling and discussed what they heard; younger children explained their marks while others attempted names and letters. Number work included counting, recognising numerals and simple calculations, with multiplication introduced for some children ready for a further challenge.

At the July 2025 inspection, Ofsted identified closer evaluation of the curriculum and staff practice as the next step, because some children needed more adult direction to extend their chosen play. That qualification matters: freedom to choose activities needs timely support as well as accessible resources.

Outdoor and Community Life

In July 2025, outdoor experiences included a forest area where children practised using tools safely, equipment for balance and climbing, and sand play involving shells, buckets and pretend cooking. Vegetable growing and learning about butterflies connected practical activity with living things. The outdoor canopy area also formed part of the inspected learning space.

Additional voluntary services cover cooking, science and Forest School sessions, an approach involving learning outdoors. Specialist sessions can include drama, rugby and football. Seasonal crafts and Polar Express day, a themed activity day, sit within the same voluntary services charge. These additions broaden the experiences alongside everyday play; families can opt out of the charge by discussing this with staff.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who serves as the family's main contact, follows development and prepares the relevant early-years and school-transition reports. Two progress meetings take place during the academic year. Between meetings, Tapestry, the online learning journal, carries observations and lets parents contribute information from home. That creates a continuing exchange rather than relying only on scheduled conversations.

Parents can raise concerns at any time through the open-door arrangement. A separate, closed Facebook group carries updates for current parents and carers; membership ends when the child leaves. Its audience is restricted to parents and carers, rather than extended family members.

An introductory meeting gives new parents opportunities to meet staff, see the premises and discuss concerns. Further preparation can include meetings with a key person, a home visit or contact with professionals already supporting the child. These arrangements allow settling to be planned around the individual child and family.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The Graduated Pathway provides targeted SEND support with repeated reviews of goals and progress. A SEN Co-ordinator supports key persons, and families help decide the level of assistance alongside the manager and key person. Depending on need, plans may include My Plan, My Plan+ or an education, health and care plan: written arrangements for support and development.

Specialist links include the Advisory Teacher Service, Speech and Language Therapists and Battledown Outreach workers. The practical mechanism is shared planning: staff observe a child at play, discuss concerns with parents and draw on specialist advice where appropriate. Support is then reviewed rather than treated as a fixed arrangement.

The building is on one level, with wheelchair access, an accessible toilet and baby-changing facilities. Medical needs can be addressed through an individual plan and parental consent for medication; personal-care arrangements are drawn up with family input. Designated Safeguarding Leads provide named roles within the safeguarding arrangements.

School transfer can include a care plan, sharing records and inviting the receiving setting to observe the child before the move. In July 2025, preparation with the neighbouring school included meeting teachers, joining school children for lunch and taking part in physical education. Additional transition arrangements were used for children who might find the change harder.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 12.30pm on weekdays. Afternoon bookings are 12.30pm to 3.30pm from Monday to Thursday, finishing at 3pm on Friday. All-day sessions run from 8.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Thursday, and from 8.30am to 3pm on Friday. Friday needs its own collection plan.

The minimum attendance is two separate sessions on different days. Families can combine sessions into an all-day booking, with choices subject to staffing ratios and availability. This offers scope to mix shorter attendance with whole days, while the minimum spreads attendance across different days.

In July 2025, the pre-school operated during school terms. Staff-training days close the setting to children. Enquiries use the contact form, and parents are asked to include their child's age.

Getting There

The address is Carrant Road, Mitton, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8AR, within Mitton Manor Primary School's grounds. Attending the pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place at that school. Classroom familiarity and transition activities are preparation for school, rather than an admissions advantage.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 2-year-old Funding for qualifying families receiving additional government support, 15 hours Universal funding for 3-and-4-year-olds, and 30 Hours Working Parent Funding for eligible working families. The pre-school's starting age remains two. Working-parent codes must be obtained in advance, supplied to the setting and reconfirmed with HMRC every three months; additional attendance beyond funded hours is charged privately.

Children staying all day bring a packed lunch; morning and afternoon snacks carry a separate voluntary charge, including for funded attendance. Families wishing to supply snacks instead discuss suitable food with staff because of allergies, and the snack choices include cereals, vegetables and fruit.

The separate activities charge is also voluntary, with an opt-out discussion offered. Current prices should be obtained in a written quotation, separating additional hours, snacks and voluntary activities. The funding and charges information explains the attendance and payment structure.

• Adult support during chosen play. The July 2025 improvement point concerned extending children's learning through closer evaluation and guidance. During a visit, ask how staff recognise when to step into play and how managers review the effect.
• Different collection times. Friday afternoon and all-day sessions end at 3pm, earlier than the other weekdays, and attendance must span at least two different days. Ask how the current term calendar and training-day closures fit your proposed pattern.
• Food and voluntary extras. All-day children need lunch from home, while snacks and additional activities have voluntary charges. Families managing allergies should confirm current food arrangements and discuss the snack opt-out before choosing their pattern.
• School grounds, separate admissions. Visits and shared activities support preparation, but attendance does not secure a place at Mitton Manor Primary School. Keep the Reception application separate from the pre-school decision.

Mitton Manor suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as all-day attendance, with a minimum commitment across different days. Its strongest practical combination is key-person continuity, gradual school preparation and a community organisation that parents can help run.

Tapestry exchanges, reviewed SEND plans and links with specialist services give families concrete ways to stay involved. The July 2025 judgement provides a positive inspection position, qualified by a clear teaching-development priority. For parents comfortable with packed lunches and the Friday finish, this is a pre-school worth considering on its own merits, independently of any hoped-for Reception destination.