Whitchurch Preschool

Two fenced play areas and access to woodland give Whitchurch Preschool an outdoor identity, while its single-storey building sits within the grounds of Whitchurch Primary School. It remains independent of the primary school. This is a preschool where the physical setting offers several ways to play, from grass to hard surfaces to the nearby woodland.

At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the preschool Outstanding and found safeguarding effective, with excellent progress in learning and strong outcomes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. That judgement provides a substantial quality reference, but the daily examples behind it belong to that visit.

The preschool accepts children from age two and has 26 places in total. Attendance is term-time only, with morning, afternoon and full-day arrangements, rather than a single attendance pattern.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning: children develop communication, physical skills and relationships through play, alongside experiences involving stories, numbers, creativity and the world around them. Activities follow children's interests, with observations feeding into individual and group planning. The emphasis is on what children are doing and learning, rather than simply moving them through a fixed activity list.

The daily timetable combines indoor or outdoor play and possible woodland visits with smaller-group activities, singing and stories. Afternoon movement activities add another change of pace. These organised moments sit alongside spontaneous play, so a child's interest can influence what happens next.

In September 2023, staff developed pretend play into a hospital activity when children decided a toy was ill. A toy first-aid kit helped turn that idea into conversation about medical equipment. Dinosaur play also prompted discussion about different species and diets, followed by fossil rubbings and matching activities. These examples show how play became a reason to use more precise language and think through differences.

During that same month, children helped choose the following week's toys and activities through a group decision. Their preferences had a practical consequence. Other observed experiences included threading, puzzles and balancing games, giving children opportunities to practise hand control, persistence and movement rather than treating learning as a seated exercise alone.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor spaces have different surfaces: one combines hard and soft areas, while the other is grassed. Both are fenced. Visits to Whitchurch Primary School's woodland area extend the setting beyond its own play spaces, and woodland visits feature among the options in the daily timetable. The arrangement gives outdoor play more than one setting, without making every outdoor session a woodland trip.

Whitchurch Preschool belongs to the Tavistock Town Early Years Partnership, where local early-years settings and foundation-stage teachers exchange practice. It also works with Tavistock Children’s Centre. Parents can contribute directly to preschool experiences by sharing a job, skill or interest with the children, connecting family life with the activities planned here.

Relationships and Communication

A key person helps each child settle, gathers observations and considers what to offer next during play. Other practitioners also contribute observations and care for the children; the key person brings that information together. Learning Journey Folders hold photographs, work and notes, giving parents a continuing account of their child's development rather than only an occasional summary.

Home experiences have a place in that account. Parents can send photographs, drawings and wow slips recording something their child has done outside preschool. Weekly emailed newsletters explain preschool activities, while meetings or emailed updates cover individual progress. Half-term planning is shared with ideas for activities at home, so families have something concrete to build on.

In September 2023, communication helped parents understand both the activities their children experienced and the reasons for them. Children also knew the daily routines: a bell signalled a group gathering, and they responded calmly. For families weighing settling and continuity, these dated examples complement the current key-person arrangements.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A special educational needs and disabilities coordinator role sits within the staff team. The preschool works with a Speech and Language Therapist, Nursery Plus teachers and Complex Needs teachers, providing named routes for professional collaboration. Individual observations and next steps form part of the key person's planning, allowing children's different interests and development to shape their experiences.

School transition includes a document describing learning and progress, and visits from Foundation Stage teachers are welcomed so practitioners can share information before children move on. This is practical preparation for a change of setting, rather than an admissions advantage.

Families supply a packed lunch when needed and a healthy mid-morning snack; milk or water is provided, and children bring a labelled water bottle. The preschool's policy excludes nuts and sweets from packed lunches, making food preparation part of the family's daily routine.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8.45am to 3.45pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. Morning sessions start at either 8.45am or 9.15am and finish at 12.15pm; afternoon sessions begin at 12.45pm and end at either 3.15pm or 3.45pm. The alternative start and collection times matter when matching preschool with family routines.

Lunch Club runs from 12.15pm to 12.45pm. Children can add it after a morning session, before an afternoon session, or attend for a full day. It connects the two parts of the day while retaining the shorter-session choices.

Applications are handled in date order for each term, with session preferences considered. Additional sessions are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis when they arise. An application form is provided, and enquiries can be made through info@whitchurchpreschool.co.uk or by calling 07812 856353.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes eligible two-year-olds, the 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds from the term after their third birthday, and a further 15 hours of extended entitlement for eligible working parents who meet the criteria. Delivery is term-time. Eligibility confirmation is required for two-year-old funding, and parents sign an Early Years Funding Form each term to receive funding where eligible.

Private, non-funded hours are also offered. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation; the admissions and fees page explains the funding and payment arrangements. Payment terms can be adjusted through the administrator, and fees are not refunded for sickness or holidays.

Getting There and Moving On

The address is School Road, Whitchurch, Tavistock, Devon PL19 9SR, within Whitchurch Primary School's grounds. Attending the preschool does not guarantee a Reception place; families still apply through the local authority admissions process. The shared site and relationship with the primary school should be understood alongside that separate admissions decision.

• Term-time coverage. Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance all follow the term-time model. Consider how that fits your family's needs during school holidays.
• Settling with a key person. The key person gathers observations and helps a child settle. During a visit, ask how that relationship would begin for your child and how home contributions would shape their next steps.
• Packed food and allergies. Families prepare lunch and snacks, and the preschool has a no-nuts policy. If your child has an allergy, confirm current practice and how their dietary requirements would be managed.
• A shared site, separate admissions. The preschool occupies primary-school grounds but operates independently. Include the local authority Reception application in your planning rather than treating preschool attendance as securing a place.

Whitchurch Preschool suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those wanting to combine the day through Lunch Club. Its fenced outdoor areas, woodland access and parent contributions give the experience a clear local character. The September 2023 Outstanding judgement adds weight, while the key-person system and learning folders provide concrete ways for families to follow their child's development. The practical fit depends on term-time attendance and a finish no later than 3.45pm.