Ketton Early Birds

A garden shaded by trees, play that moves between indoors and outside, and a place in Kedington village life give Ketton Early Birds its character. This is preschool provision with school-age care alongside it, using a modular building purpose-built for childcare, within the site of Kedington Primary Academy. The preschool welcomes children from two and a half to five years; the setting has 28 places in total.

At its November 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated Ketton Early Birds Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with SEND benefited from attentive staff support.

Morning and afternoon preschool sessions can be combined with lunch and wraparound care, while holiday provision depends on demand.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum guides sessions: communication, physical development and relationships are developed through play. Children's interests and information from families shape planning.

Every Child a Talker (ECAT), a national early-language initiative, adds practitioner training and support alongside parental involvement. Storytelling, role play and conversations give children opportunities to practise language; those learning English are encouraged to use their home language too.

Measuring resources, shapes and natural objects bring mathematics into play. Children make marks with water and shaving foam, while staff write down their stories, linking spoken ideas with text.

In November 2021, children counted snack fruit, explored water with pipettes and tried painting with sponges and larger paper. At the same inspection, Ofsted asked the setting to give children more opportunities to question stereotypes and understand differences between people and communities.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outside, bushes and trees provide a natural canopy, with a rope swing, climbing ladders, scooters and bicycles among the physical resources. Gardening, sand and water play extend the possibilities beyond riding and climbing. The garden is used daily; occasional village walks and access to the school playground broaden the setting, with playground use covering after-school care, holiday care and sometimes preschool.

In October 2025, Kedington Library helped source topic books and children had visited the library. Activities also included a mud kitchen, with tweezers and squeezers used in sensory and water play.

Annual participation in Meadowlark includes a themed walking pageant and fundraising stall. Church festivals and school events also connect children with village life.

The indoor arrangement deserves attention too. Children of different ages use a large, busy room, and a fundraising project seeks to convert an existing garage into additional space for quieter activity, sensory needs and older children. The proposed conversion is a plan, not an existing facility. Its purpose makes the question of how the shared room works especially relevant for children who need calm.

Two parent-accompanied settling sessions precede regular attendance. The family and key person then discuss settling individually, allowing for each child's pace.

The key person is the family's main contact; observations from staff and information from home guide planning. Tapestry is the preschool's online learning journal, carrying photographs. Personal records pass to the next setting to support continuity.

Staff roles include a SENCO and an early language lead. Registration gathers medical and dietary information and details of other professional involvement; professional advice can inform adaptations. Children with allergies or dietary requirements can have an individual care plan.

Independence is practised through self-service snacks, handwashing and managing everyday belongings. The snack bar lets children pause their play when they are ready, rather than requiring everyone to stop together. Families supply a labelled water bottle and sun cream for children attending all day; wellies are provided for outdoor activity. Practical clothing matters here because messy play is part of the day.

Health arrangements include keeping families informed about accidents and a recovery period of 48 hours after sickness or diarrhoea. The setting has designated safeguarding lead and deputy roles, and its procedures include referring concerns to child protection agencies. Those current arrangements describe how responsibilities are organised; the safeguarding judgement above belongs to November 2021.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Church Walk, Kedington, Haverhill, CB9 7QZ. Preschool and out-of-school provision operate Monday to Friday, with terms following Kedington Academy. Morning preschool runs from 8.40am to 11.40am, afternoon preschool from 12.10pm to 3.10pm, and Lunch Club bridges the gap from 11.40am to 12.10pm. Bookings are made by session rather than by selecting individual funded hours; the minimum preschool booking in a day is one three-hour session.

Breakfast Club runs from 8am to 8.40am. After School Club starts at 3.15pm, with collection options at 4.15pm, 5.15pm or 5.45pm. School children attending Kedington Academy are accompanied to school after breakfast, and collection from Kedington Primary Academy forms part of the after-school arrangement. Preschool children can also remain for after-school care.

Holiday Club offers activity sessions from 9am to noon, half days from 8am to 12.45pm or 12.45pm to 5.30pm, and full days ending at either 3.30pm or 5.30pm after an 8am start. It runs only when demand covers operating costs and sufficient staff can be arranged.

Regular sessions remain payable during absence, and changes require four weeks' notice. Ad hoc bookings are for children already registered with the setting and depend on space and staffing, with regular bookings taking priority; cancellation requires at least seven days' notice to avoid a charge. Fees are invoiced in advance each month. Registration starts with a form, followed by staff contact, and enquiries can be made by telephone or email.

Funding and Paid Extras

Term-time universal funding of up to 15 hours starts the term after a child turns three. Extended funding of up to 30 hours requires eligibility, an application and an HMRC eligibility code; early funding for eligible two-year-olds is also offered. Additional sessions beyond a child's allocation are privately charged. The expanded funding information does not change the preschool's stated starting age of two and a half.

Private session fees include snacks and applicable meals, while parents supply packed lunches; funded sessions carry separate snack, applicable meal and non-food consumables charges, with the additional-charge arrangements allowing families to discuss opting out. Parents also supply sun cream, and the setting publishes a nut-free policy.

Private session fees include enrichment; funded-session enrichment charges are non-compulsory. A deposit is required after a place is agreed and is refunded during the child's first half term. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, with the charge structure also outlined on its fees page.

Getting There

Parents and carers cannot park on the school site; requests for disability-related access are considered by the school, and nearby parking can be congested. Walking is encouraged for village families.

Sharing the Kedington Primary Academy site does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Passing on learning records supports transition, but it does not confer an admissions advantage.

• A shared indoor space. Different ages use a large, busy room, with extra quieter space the subject of a garage-conversion fundraising plan. During a visit, ask how staff provide a calm option for a child who finds noise or activity tiring.
• Dietary needs. Packed lunches, snacks and some club meals are part of the attendance arrangements. Families managing allergies should confirm current mealtime practice and how an individual care plan is communicated across sessions.
• Holiday cover and regular commitments. Holiday Club depends on sufficient demand and staffing, while regular sessions remain payable during absence. This combination matters for families balancing term-time routines with dependable holiday childcare.
• Learning about difference. The November 2021 improvement point concerned stereotypes and understanding people and communities. Ask for current examples of how this is explored in play, books and conversations.

Ketton Early Birds suits families seeking either morning or afternoon preschool, with lunch and wraparound options to extend the day, as well as families using care around the school timetable. Its garden, language initiative and village connections give those sessions recognisable content. Individual settling and a key person provide a clear structure for the relationship with home.

The choice turns on how the shared indoor space works for your child and whether demand-led holiday care fits your arrangements. The Good judgement provides useful historical context; the everyday offer is most compelling where play, outdoor activity and a place in Kedington life match what a family wants.