Framfield Pre-School

Garden birds, homemade binoculars and penguin movements give Framfield Pre-School a recognisable character: children use the natural world as material for play and discovery. In January 2026, bird crafts accompanied the Big Schools Bird Watch, while Penguin Appreciation Day brought movement into the same theme. These are concrete examples of learning that connects making, listening and physical activity.

Framfield has capacity for 32 children and occupies purpose-built premises beside Framfield CE Primary School in rural Framfield, near Uckfield. At its May 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good overall. The practical offer is term-time care, with morning, afternoon and longer daytime sessions, plus breakfast and afternoon extensions.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning and care: children develop communication, physical skills and relationships through play, alongside early experiences of stories, numbers, making and understanding their surroundings. This is the common early-years framework. Framfield's individual character comes through the activities used to put it into practice.

Children choose activities and work towards completing them, alongside adult-led group experiences. Both approaches extend across indoor and outdoor play, balancing individual interests with new experiences.

January 2026 brought the Big Schools Bird Watch, marked with bird-themed crafts and binoculars made for spotting birds in the garden. Children also listened for bird calls. Penguin Appreciation Day involved trying penguin movements, linking an animal theme with a physical challenge. These were activities in that month's programme, rather than promises of a recurring timetable.

Storytelling led into imaginative play. During National Storytelling Week in January 2024, children invented narratives as well as enjoying familiar books; the Three Little Pigs inspired wolf play, and a wobbly bridge became part of their storytelling. Dinosaur week that month included exploring dinosaur species and digging for fossils. For a child drawn to pretend play, these examples show how a story or topic can develop beyond listening into doing.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden supports close observation as well as movement. In January 2024, children explored ice, left water to freeze overnight and used hot water in trays to investigate steam in cold weather. Putting on coats and winter accessories was part of preparing for the activity, connecting discovery with everyday independence.

September 2023 brought replacement climbing and soft play equipment and a new construction area outdoors. Wooden home-corner food and accessories prompted pretend picnics and shops indoors, connecting play with familiar routines.

Animal care was another strand in May 2023. Children helped care for a hedgehog and hamster, while woodwork involved using real tools to build planters. A climbing wall provided physical challenge. These inspection-era examples show practical tasks with a purpose, from making something useful to taking responsibility for a living creature.

An April 2023 planting activity extended into family life: children took sunflower seeds home to grow, with pots, compost and seeds donated by Staverton Nursery. It gave families a shared project beyond the preschool session, without requiring a formal lesson at home.

Relationships and Communication

Each child's key person plans settling with the family and works with parents on the child's needs, interests and development throughout their time at preschool.

Tapestry, the secure assessment tool, lets parents read assessments on a computer or mobile device, comment and add home achievements. Staff document development through observations, photographs and videos; WOW slips let families share significant achievements within the setting.

Periodic assessment summaries also mark transitions, including school. The Integrated Progress Review provides a written summary of communication, physical and personal and social development in conjunction with the Health Visitor, complementing ongoing updates.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding arrangements and helpful SEND support involving outside specialists and simple signing, but identified a need for stronger mentoring of less qualified staff and better links with other settings children attended. Those two improvement points matter: teaching consistency and communication between providers affect a child's experience even where individual relationships work well.

Current practical support includes working with families on potty training; children do not have to be potty trained before attending. A potty is available in the children's toilets, and parents can bring their child's own. Staff encourage children to manage toileting and outdoor clothing themselves, making independence part of familiar routines rather than a separate activity.

Rest and quieter activities are arranged around individual needs. Protective clothing is supplied for messy play, while parents bring spare clothes, nappies and wipes when needed, and sun lotion for sunny weather. Keeping wellies at preschool is recommended so outdoor use is easier across different weather conditions.

A camera and controlled entrance, classroom keypad and family-set collection password provide specific security procedures. Local outings require written parental permission.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Framfield C of E School, The Street, Framfield, Uckfield, TN22 5NR. Opening hours are 7.45am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. The preschool follows East Sussex County Council's school terms and closes for five inset days each year, so its calendar needs to fit the family's holiday arrangements.

Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am to 9am. Daytime options include 9am to noon, 9am to 1pm, 9am to 3pm and noon to 3pm; the Afternoon Session runs from 1pm to 3pm. The Extended afternoon session covers 3pm to 4pm, also described as the after-school club. This gives families a choice between a shorter morning or afternoon and a longer preschool day, with extensions at either end.

Fees are paid each term. Payment remains due for a short absence without notice, while longer absences are discussed individually with the administrator; payment plans can be arranged when the usual terms create difficulty. Registration involves an application, and a voluntary contribution is requested towards administration and a taster session.

Funding and Paid Extras

Early Years Education Entitlement is accepted for two-, three- and four-year-olds, including EYEE 15/30 hours and two-year-old funding for families receiving additional support. Funding is delivered during term time and can cover sessions throughout the 7.45am to 4pm opening window, Monday to Friday. Hours beyond an eligible entitlement, or without funding, are charged privately.

There are no additional charges for funded sessions. A morning snack of fruit with crackers, breadsticks or similar food is included without an extra charge, while families supply a packed lunch; the preschool operates a Nut Free Policy. Parents also provide nappies, wipes and sun lotion as needed, including when attending on funded hours.

The fees and session information explains termly payment and the relationship between funded and private hours. Tax-Free Childcare, childcare vouchers and Universal Credit are among the accepted payment routes.

Moving on to School

The preschool describes a close partnership with Framfield CE Primary School, sharing its building and grounds and exchanging resources and ideas. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Transition support extends to the other schools children move on to, making the partnership useful without making it an admissions advantage.

• Term-time calendar. Care finishes at 4pm and closes during school holidays and five annual inset days. Families needing year-round care or later afternoons will need arrangements that fit those boundaries.
• Consistency across adults and settings. In May 2023, staff mentoring and communication with other childcare settings were improvement priorities. During a visit, ask how coaching works now and how information is exchanged if your child attends another provider.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Families provide lunch under the preschool's Nut Free Policy. Allergy-affected families should confirm current food-handling arrangements and how their child's needs will be managed before joining.
• Settling with your child. Visits can include play, meeting staff and discussing questions with the manager. Appointments can be made on 01825 890943 or by email at framfieldpreschool@gmail.com; use that time to discuss the key-person settling plan and the session pattern you want.

Framfield suits families seeking term-time morning sessions, afternoon sessions or a longer preschool day, with breakfast and afternoon extensions. Nature activities, story-based play and practical independence give its offer substance, while Tapestry gives parents a route into the learning conversation. The May 2023 judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by specific improvement priorities around staff mentoring and communication between settings. The school partnership is useful for shared experiences and transition, but carries no promise of a Reception place.