Holly Tree Pre-School and Trackers

Independent preschool activity choices, divided outdoor spaces and school-club collections give Holly Tree Pre-School and Trackers its character. The St James Road setting combines a Pre-School Room for children aged 3-5 with before-school, after-school and holiday provision for children aged 4-11. These are different parts of the offer, with separate outdoor areas for younger and older children.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its 30 May 2022 inspection. That dated judgement sits alongside useful practical detail: preschool children can choose their own learning activities, while the school club provides collections from named local schools. The appeal is the combination of early learning and support around the school day.

Rooms and Ages

The Pre-School Room gives children aged 3-5 access to learning areas they can choose independently, alongside a daily planned activity linked to a topic developed over six weeks. Joining that activity is a choice. For parents, this means a day with both adult planning and room for children to pursue an interest of their own.

Outside, the preschool and older children's spaces are separated by fencing. The younger area serves children aged 3-5, while the other serves those aged 5-11. This physical division matters in a setting combining preschool care with provision for older children: outdoor play has its own age-related spaces.

Learning and Activities

The Pre-School Room follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, which guides children's learning, development and care through play and activities. Here, independent access to learning areas and observations of each child's development help shape the preschool day. The framework is the shared early-years foundation; the choices children make within the room are the more useful detail for families.

In May 2022, staff used children's interests and their existing skills to plan what came next. Puppet storytelling gave children a way to retell familiar tales, and a dentist's visit helped connect new vocabulary with an experience they could remember. These examples show learning moving between conversation, imaginative play and practical experience.

Holly Bear supplied another memorable example in May 2022. After the bear lost an arm, staff used her changed appearance to explore physical disability and helping someone participate in play. Children could discuss caring for her. However, learning about cultures beyond their own community needed further development, so this example of inclusion should be read alongside that improvement point.

Outdoor and Community Life

In May 2022, the gardens supported several kinds of activity: cycling, investigating moving water and reading in story dens. Outdoor learning therefore included quieter choices as well as physical play. A child who preferred books could take that interest outside too.

School-day care has a clear local connection. The Before and After School Club serves Newfold Community Primary School, Orrell Holgate Primary School and St James Catholic Primary School. Nursery transport supports collections, and a weather-dependent walking bus is part of the Healthy Child initiative, giving children a way to make the school journey on foot when conditions allow.

A key person is allocated from the child's gradual admission visit. Their responsibilities bring everyday care together with planning and observations, rather than making the parent relationship separate from the child's learning. When a child changes rooms, the incoming key person receives their information and file, and parents are introduced during gradual visits. That handover gives the next practitioner a starting point grounded in the child's existing experience.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, making good progress. In that month, staff communicated with parents each day and also used electronic communication to share information and ideas for learning at home. The practical value was a connection between what happened during care and what families could build on afterwards.

The school club includes breakfast and a light afternoon tea in its price; holiday care includes meals throughout the day. These arrangements make food part of those particular bookings, rather than a separate meal charge.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St James RC Primary School, St James Road, Wigan, WN5 7AA. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01695 280237 or through the contact form.

Before-school and after-school care serves children aged 4-11. During school holidays, children in that age group can attend full-day or sessional care, with planned activities and occasional outings. Holiday trips incur an additional charge. The opening window and these booking patterns serve different purposes: one describes the operating day, while the others describe the care families can book.

Getting There

The Pre-School Room has off-road parking at the St James Road site. For school-club families, staff take children to and collect them from the three named schools, with school staff signing children in and out. That collection arrangement is a concrete part of the service, especially for parents whose working day extends beyond school hours.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2022, the setting provided funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Breakfast and afternoon tea are included for school-club bookings, and holiday-care meals are included; occasional holiday outings carry an extra charge.

Being based at St James RC Primary School does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process. School-club collections and preschool attendance should therefore be considered separately from a school's decision to offer a place.

• Participation in larger groups. In May 2022, quieter children sometimes contributed less during group activities. At a visit, ask how staff organise storytelling so a less confident child has time and support to join in.
• Learning beyond the local community. Broadening children's understanding of other cultures was a May 2022 improvement point. Ask for examples of the stories, resources and experiences now used to develop that understanding.
• The complete preschool booking. The offer combines preschool, school-club and holiday provision, with meals included in the latter two and holiday trips charged separately. Before committing, ask for a written preschool booking plan covering attendance, funded hours, meals, consumables and payment terms.

Holly Tree suits families seeking preschool learning alongside the Before and After School Club, and those needing full days or sessional care during school holidays for older children. Independent activity choices, divided outdoor spaces and collections from named schools give the offer practical substance.

The May 2022 Good judgement provides a dated quality assessment. Its two improvement points also give families useful priorities for a visit: how quieter children participate, and how learning introduces cultures beyond the immediate community. For parents balancing preschool and school-age routines, the combination of services is the strongest reason to consider this setting.