The Hendreds Preschool

A bike track in the garden, handmade family books and parents helping to run the setting give The Hendreds Preschool a clear village character. This charity-run preschool uses purpose-built premises at Snells Hall in East Hendred. Its volunteer committee, made up mainly of parents, gives families a role in running the preschool as well as supporting their own child's learning.

There are 16 places in total, distinct from the number of children attending across different days. The preschool welcomes children aged 2.5 to 4, with an intake rule allowing children to join from the term after they turn two years and six months, subject to space. That start point matters for families planning the move from care at home into a group setting.

At its 19 May 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Good and found safeguarding effective. The detail behind that judgement includes language-rich play, an outdoor track and close communication with parents, alongside two clear areas for further work: involving quieter children in adult-led learning and deepening children's understanding of other communities. Morning and all-day attendance are offered during term time.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides the day through play, conversation and activities that develop language, movement, relationships and early understanding of numbers and books. Children can organise some activities themselves; practitioners plan and lead others.

Respect, Independence, Challenge is the preschool's ethos. In practical terms, it brings together kindness towards others, developing everyday skills and curiosity through play. Arts and crafts, music with movement, science and nature sit alongside literacy and numeracy activities.

In May 2025, pretend telephone conversations gave children a reason to practise speaking, while practitioners expanded vocabulary through commentary, singing, signing and visual cues. Familiar stories were shared with groups of different sizes, and children supplied phrases they recognised.

The limits were specific too. During some adult-led activities in May 2025, confident children received more attention and quieter participants had fewer chances to contribute. Craft activities marked Chinese New Year and Easter, but opportunities to compare children's lives with those of other communities needed developing. Families should weigh those points alongside the positive picture of play and conversation.

Outdoor and Community Life

Fundraising paid for the garden to be redone at the start of 2025. The bike track and new sand pit give outdoor play two different kinds of activity: movement around the track and hands-on exploration with sand. Indoors, books, toys and learning materials support different interests, while the outdoor area also includes sensory toys.

The village forms part of the preschool's learning space. Children visit the local park, shop, churches and surrounding area, giving them opportunities to connect nature and community life with their everyday experiences. Outings take place in different weather conditions, so suitable clothing is part of participating fully rather than an occasional extra.

Stay and Read invites parents to share stories with their children, using a favourite book from home or one from the preschool. Handmade family books and a cosy reading corner make that involvement concrete. Parents can also join outings and contribute a skill or talent, giving family participation a place within the children's day.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a named key person who acts as the family's main link with the setting and helps maintain the child's learning journey. Parents contribute information about interests, activities and achievements at home. Those contributions sit alongside staff observations, helping decisions about what the child could try next draw on both settings.

Before starting, families complete an All about me form for the child's key worker, covering information that helps staff follow familiar routines and support settling. Parents can remain with their child until the child is ready to stay independently. This makes settling responsive to the individual child rather than dependent on one fixed timetable.

In May 2025, communication included daily conversations, newsletters, termly reports and an online platform. Parents received information about progress and used preschool ideas at home.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its May 2025 inspection, Ofsted found children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well supported through developmental assessment, targeted plans, training for individual care or health needs, and additional funding used for individual or small-group help. Language groups were one example. The current team includes a SENDCO role, providing a defined point of responsibility for additional needs.

Staff hold first-aid certificates and receive child-protection training. These are arrangements supporting care, rather than a substitute for the dated safeguarding judgement. In May 2025, shared snacks also provided opportunities to practise hygiene and talk about how food contributes to health.

Preparation for school includes visits to local primary schools several times a year, with opportunities to meet teachers and become familiar with the school setting. Learning summaries are also prepared at transitions, including the move to school. These activities support familiarity and continuity; attending the preschool does not guarantee a school place.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Snells Hall, Church Street, East Hendred, Oxfordshire, OX12 8LA. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. The two booking patterns are a morning session from 9am to noon and All day from 9am to 3pm. They serve different needs: a shorter introduction to group care or a session continuing into the afternoon.

September is the main intake, although an earlier start can be possible depending on space. Families return a registration form. When a space becomes available, the preschool contacts them, usually in the term before the intended start, to discuss sessions and a preferred start date. Children who miss out on a place join a waiting list for a possible opening during the year. These are booking arrangements, rather than a promise of a place.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email or by telephone. The telephone is answered during preschool hours. Prospective families can arrange a visit, while applications can be returned by email or in person.

Funding and Paid Extras

The preschool offers 15 hour and 30 hour funded childcare, alongside privately paid childcare. Attendance is term-time rather than year-round. The fees page sets out hourly charging and an optional separate snack charge; current prices come in the preschool's written quotation. A funded entitlement should be considered separately from the child's agreed sessions and any additional private hours.

Parents supply nappies, wipes and nappy sacks for children who use them. Families also provide spare clothes, suitable outdoor footwear and weather-appropriate clothing, with parents asked to apply sun lotion when sunny weather is forecast. Packing these items helps the child take part in outdoor and messy activities and allows staff to respond to accidents.

Local school visits prepare children for change, but attendance here does not guarantee a school place. Families still use the local authority admissions process for a state-school application.

• Participation in group learning. In May 2025, quieter children sometimes had fewer opportunities during adult-led activities. On a visit, ask how practitioners now draw those children into conversations and shared tasks.
• Understanding other communities. May 2025 activities included Chinese New Year and Easter crafts, but learning about similarities and differences needed more depth. Explore how those celebrations connect with children's understanding of everyday lives.
• The term-time timetable. Morning sessions end at noon and All day ends at 3pm. Families needing care during school holidays or later in the afternoon will need an arrangement that fits around these boundaries.
• Your child's funded session. Funding and the optional snack charge are separate parts of the charging structure. Before agreeing sessions, ask for a written quotation that distinguishes funded attendance, private hours and the snack option.

The Hendreds Preschool suits families seeking either morning sessions or all-day attendance within a term-time village preschool. The garden track, Stay and Read and parent-led committee give that choice substance: outdoor activity, shared books and an opportunity for parents to contribute to the setting's life.

The May 2025 judgement provides a positive foundation, with precise reservations about quieter children's participation and learning about other communities. For parents comfortable with the 9am to 3pm boundaries, the appeal is a small-capacity setting where family involvement and village outings are practical parts of preschool life.