Bishopdown Farm Community Preschool & Farm Friends

A mud kitchen, room-based key groups and outings around Greentrees give Bishopdown Farm Community Preschool & Farm Friends a recognisable character. Its purpose-built home sits on the Greentrees Primary School Infant Site in Salisbury, with preschool provision organised into Piglets and Lambs and school-age wraparound care through Farm Friends. Parents have a role in running it, too: this charitable setting is managed by a committee of parent volunteers.

At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good overall, highlighting children's developing independence and communication while asking for better modelling of letter sounds and more consistent behaviour expectations. Those improvement points matter alongside the positive judgement. The whole setting has 37 places.

Morning and afternoon preschool sessions follow a term-time calendar, while Farm Friends provides breakfast and after-school clubs for families organising care around school.

Rooms and Ages

Piglets is the group for children aged two to three.

Lambs is the group for children aged three to five.

Children return to their rooms for group activities, stories and songs, with opportunities to choose activities across the indoor and outdoor spaces during free-flow periods.

Learning and Activities

The curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage: here, children choose activities, practise completing tasks and join adult-led groups to develop skills and learn to work together. The curriculum aims to adapt learning experiences to individual development and to involve families in children's education.

A small key group activity sits within the morning session, while larger gatherings bring children together for stories and singing. Some group activities use educational videos linked to a topic or introduce Makaton through an educational activity.

In November 2023, conversations included unfamiliar vocabulary and opportunities for children to predict what might happen next. Puppets and other storytelling props helped children join in with books, while retelling encouraged them to think about how a story unfolds. Water experiments involved testing which objects would float and discussing weight.

The literacy improvement point was specific: staff did not consistently pronounce letter sounds accurately enough to support later phonics learning. Enjoyment of stories and accurate sound modelling are separate considerations for a family preparing for school.

Outdoor and Community Life

Sand and water play, construction and the mud kitchen are examples of activities set out outdoors. Free-flow periods let children choose between play inside and outside, so outdoor exploration has a place within the session itself. The preschool also describes itself as an all-weather setting and asks families to dress children accordingly.

Outings include play at Greentrees, walks, and visits to the park and larger green. Some are planned; others are spontaneous. These outings extend exploration beyond the preschool's outdoor space.

In November 2023, outdoor play included balancing, jumping and riding tricycles. Sensory activities also involved scooping and pouring water.

Relationships and Communication

Each child is allocated a key person who works with parents on their particular interests and needs. Families are introduced to that practitioner when their child starts, or beforehand. This gives parents an identifiable person with whom to discuss how their child is settling and what support would help.

In November 2023, staff gathered information about children's preferences and abilities before their first day. Comfort was offered when children needed it, and everyday responsibilities included putting away toys, clearing plates and helping with tidying. Independence was practised through manageable tasks, including coats and toileting for older children.

The parent committee provides another route into preschool life. It oversees finances, staffing and policy, meets once each half term, and elects members at an annual meeting near the start of the autumn term.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SENCO coordinates support, keeps SEND records and links parents with external agencies. Staff work with speech and language therapists to plan support for children with particular difficulties, and families can raise concerns first with their child's key person or with the SENCO or manager.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support effective, with collaboration between staff, parents and professionals and additional funding used for resources such as fidget toys. In that month, staff also supervised play effectively and informed parents promptly about accidents.

First aid training is part of the staffing arrangements, and staff attend further development courses. The behaviour improvement point remains relevant to care: in November 2023, expectations were not always explained consistently. Families should consider how adults help children understand boundaries as well as how they respond when children become upset.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Greentrees Primary School, Sycamore Drive, Bishopdown Farm, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 3GZ. Preschool runs for 38 weeks each year, following Wiltshire Council school term times. Its Morning Session runs from 8.55am to 11.55am; the Afternoon Session runs from 11.55am to 2.55pm. Lunch forms part of the afternoon routine.

Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am to 8.45am. After School Club operates from 3pm to 6pm Monday to Thursday and from 3pm to 5pm on Friday. The club uses the preschool building outside school hours and caters for up to 25 children, a club capacity separate from the whole-setting figure.

Families can make advance block bookings for all or selected Farm Friends sessions, or arrange occasional bookings subject to space. Occasional bookings require at least 24 hours' notice, and children must be enrolled with Farm Friends before starting. Changing permanent sessions requires four weeks' notice during term time; after-school payment is for the booked session regardless of collection time within it.

Preschool places are allocated in application order as places become available. Application materials cover preschool and Farm Friends separately, and enquiries can be made through the contact form, telephone or email.

Getting There

Greentrees School facilitates the Walking Bus, which escorts junior children from the Junior site to Farm Friends. This is a practical connection between the school sites and the club.

The preschool occupies the Greentrees Infant Site and describes links with Greentrees Primary School and the local community. In November 2023, the manager also worked with local schools on children's transition. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a place at Greentrees Primary School.

Funding and Paid Extras

In November 2023, the preschool received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. Farm Friends is paid provision with charges organised by session. For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

For preschool afternoons, parents supply a packed lunch and drink with an ice-pack because refrigeration is unavailable, and the lunch policy excludes nuts and peanuts. Morning snack is provided, with families asked to bring fruit each week or contribute towards it; Farm Friends provides breakfast and an afternoon snack.

• Piglets and settling. Piglets serves children aged two to three, and each child has a key person. During a tour, ask how the key person supports a new two-year-old during group activities and shared play.
• Literacy and boundaries. The November 2023 improvement points concerned letter-sound pronunciation and consistent behaviour expectations. Ask what training and shared practices now address those two areas.
• Term-time routines. Preschool operates for 38 weeks, and Friday's Farm Friends collection deadline is 5pm. These arrangements need to fit the family's working week and holiday plans.
• Food and individual needs. Preschool lunch comes from home, with an ice-pack and restrictions on nuts and peanuts. Families managing allergies should confirm current food-handling practice and discuss their child's needs before starting.

Bishopdown Farm suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, with outdoor exploration, a named key person and opportunities to take part in the parent committee. Farm Friends adds breakfast and after-school options for school-age children, including an escorted connection from the Junior site.

The Good judgement from November 2023 gives a positive inspection position, supported by concrete examples of conversation, practical learning and independence. The two improvement points deserve a direct discussion. Term-time attendance, home-packed lunches and the earlier Friday club finish are the practical details most likely to shape whether this setting fits a family's routine.