Little Treasures Pre-School

Stories give Little Treasures Pre-School a recognisable thread. Its Story Corner brings together books including Dear Zoo and Room on The Broom, while the December 2022 account of daily life describes children taking a story outside and retelling it on a wooden bridge. Books connect listening, imaginative play and learning at home.

On Sheldrick Way in Mildenhall, the setting has 37 places in total and accepts children from three months. At its December 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of every aspect of care today.

Morning and afternoon sessions sit alongside a full-day option, giving families different ways to arrange attendance. The calendar also matters: substantial holiday closures make this a different proposition from uninterrupted year-round childcare.

Rooms and Ages

Mini Explorers is the room label for children aged 0 to 2. Little Seekers and Little Explorers both carry the 2 to 3 age band, while Great Adventurers is the preschool label. These names give parents a starting point for understanding the stages within the setting, rather than treating its total capacity as the size of an individual group.

The daily plan combines activities children select themselves with adult-led group work. Children can pursue an interest and see a task through, then join something an adult introduces. Outdoor play follows the same combination of children's choices and organised activities.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning and care: play supports language, physical development, relationships and the beginnings of reading and mathematics. Birth to 5 Matters, non-statutory guidance for that framework, also informs the approach. Neither is a separate branded curriculum replacing the framework.

In December 2022, dinosaur play prompted children to discuss what different dinosaurs ate and use pretend food from the play kitchen. Magnifying glasses gave older children a reason to learn new vocabulary, examine small figurines and sort them. These examples connect conversation with something a child is already interested in doing.

Story Corner extends the book theme, with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Dear Zoo among its titles. In December 2022, staff used puppets and soft toys in storytelling; children later acted out parts of a story on the garden's wooden bridge. A small lending library and book bags also took reading beyond the setting. The physical bridge gave the story somewhere to go after the telling ended.

Creative freedom is a decision point here. In December 2022, children used messy-play materials and tools that supported the hand movements needed for drawing and writing, but some adult-directed activities left too little room for their own experimentation. The balance between an organised task and an open-ended invitation deserves attention.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who discusses settling with their family. Parents can remain with their child until the child feels comfortable in the group. That gives settling a practical shape: a familiar adult can stay while the relationship with staff develops.

Observation, photographs and contributions from home contribute to children's learning records. Parents are invited to share interests and development they see outside preschool, rather than receiving information in only one direction. Assessment summaries are also made around changes of group and the move to school, helping preserve a child's learning story through those transitions.

In December 2022, children enjoyed showing adults their folders of photographs and learning notes. Staff adjusted conversations to children's development, using short questions and time to respond with babies, and more demanding vocabulary with older children. Singing games with actions were another part of the babies' day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The team includes a SENDCo and a safeguarding officer role, and staff receive first-aid and food-hygiene training. For children needing additional support, arrangements include discussion with parents, liaison with Health Visitors and the Suffolk Early Years team, and seeking funding for a one-to-one worker where that support is needed. These are concrete mechanisms for planning support around a child.

Self-care also featured in December 2022: babies practised washing their hands, while signs accompanied spoken prompts for manners. Such small routines gave children opportunities to participate in their own care, rather than having adults do everything for them.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The morning session runs from 9.30am to noon and the afternoon session from 1pm to 3.30pm; the daily option covers 8am to 6pm. The breakfast session runs from 8am to 9.30am, Lunch Club from noon to 1pm, and the Late Session from 3.30pm to 6pm. Alternative hours can also be discussed.

Closures cover two weeks at Christmas, two at Easter and three in the summer, plus bank holidays outside those periods. Holiday dates are shared before the academic year starts in September. Families arranging work around childcare need to account for those breaks as well as the daily session times.

Applications use a downloadable form, with contact by telephone on 01638 717877 or email at ldtreasures@gmail.com. The address is Sheldrick Way, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7JX. The waiting list follows application order, and joining it does not guarantee a place.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes support for eligible two-year-olds and 15 or 30 hours for eligible children starting the term after their third birthday. The latter hours can be taken over 38 weeks or stretched over 45 weeks. Extra paid sessions are also offered; families should obtain current prices in a written quotation.

Families supply packed lunches, while breakfast and tea carry separate charges, including when children use funded hours. The nursery provides milk and a healthy snack, and its nut-free policy excludes food containing nuts or traces of nuts.

Fees are payable in advance, either weekly or monthly. Sickness does not remove the session charge, and an absence needs at least a month's notice to avoid charges. These terms matter when comparing the cost of a booked pattern with the hours a child actually attends.

• Creative choice. The December 2022 inspection asked for more scope for children to experiment and express their own ideas, alongside closer evaluation of how the curriculum and ethos worked in practice. During a visit, ask how staff now balance planned activities with children's own decisions.
• Holiday cover. Christmas, Easter and summer closures interrupt the attendance calendar. Match the actual holiday dates to your work commitments before choosing a pattern.
• Food and allergies. Packed lunches come from home, and breakfast and tea are charged separately. Allergy-affected families should confirm current practice under the nut-free policy.
• Deposit terms. The prospectus exempts funded-hours-only bookings from a deposit, while the application form describes taking a deposit and refunding it when attendance starts. Obtain written agreement on which arrangement applies before booking.

Little Treasures suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as those choosing a full day, provided its holiday closures fit their plans. Story Corner, the key-person settling arrangement and the routes for additional support give parents concrete features to weigh. The December 2022 picture adds useful examples of conversation, reading and imaginative play, with creative freedom and evaluation remaining the central improvement questions. This is a setting to judge through the child's likely daily experience and the practical fit of its attendance calendar.