Longleaze Pre-School and Nursery

A garden for outdoor play and Wednesday-morning PE in the school hall give Longleaze a practical mix of everyday movement and more organised activity. Based in Royal Wootton Bassett, it combines play chosen by children with group stories, singing and early language work. Children can spend time exploring, then come together for a shared activity.

At its 11 October 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good progress. That dated assessment provides a useful starting point for families weighing the care alongside the timetable.

Longleaze has capacity for 52 children, with an age range of two to five years. Morning, afternoon and all-day attendance fit within a term-time schedule. Its shorter sessions make it relevant to families seeking part-day preschool provision as well as those needing care across the nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning and care: play, conversation and practical activities support their development. At Longleaze, the timetable combines activities led by adults with play that children choose, indoors and outside. Group time brings stories, music and activities involving letters and sounds into the day.

Children help choose a theme for each half term. This gives their interests a place in the planning, rather than making every activity an adult decision. Nursery sessions include a welcome song and a short shared activity, followed by play and a chance to eat a snack. Preschool sessions also give children time to share news or bring something from home to discuss. These are manageable opportunities to speak in a group and listen to someone else.

In October 2024, staff extended conversations during play, introduced descriptive language and helped children use words about length. Singing and stories featured daily. The practical value is the connection between language and something a child is actually doing: new words become part of play rather than a separate exercise.

The Bristol Standard is a tool for reviewing practice and planning improvements, rather than a prescribed teaching method. Longleaze uses it to examine how it works and what it could do better. In October 2024, staff needed more opportunities to discuss their training and put new knowledge into practice. The scheme's name alone is no quality guarantee.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden is used for outdoor play, and the preschool timetable includes periods when children can choose between indoor and outdoor activities. Wednesday mornings add PE in the school hall. This gives physical activity both an everyday setting and a scheduled place in the week.

In October 2024, children practised balancing on beams and joined games of hide-and-seek. Outings included regular visits to a library and church, alongside woodland walks. These experiences extended play beyond the nursery premises and gave children contact with their surrounding community; the outings were regular, rather than tied to a stated weekly timetable.

Relationships and Communication

In October 2024, settling was adapted to individual children, and key workers used their knowledge of families to support the start of nursery life. That approach matters because children do not all need the same introduction to a new setting. Staff also observed what children could already do and planned activities around their next steps.

Weekly email newsletters now give families an account of recent activities and opportunities to become involved. Longer conversations with a child's key worker are offered three times a year, alongside an open-door approach to everyday questions. The combination gives parents both a regular overview and time for a more detailed discussion about their own child.

Families sometimes receive requests to bring materials for activities. These requests are kept to a minimum, with donated materials helping the charity support children's experiences. Participation therefore includes occasional practical contributions as well as conversations with staff.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENCO role sits within the staff structure, alongside designated safeguarding lead and deputy roles. In October 2024, staff arranged referrals to outside agencies and used interventions tailored to children's individual needs. This describes how support was organised at that point, rather than promising the same response for every child.

Everyday independence also received attention in October 2024. Younger children practised pouring drinks and putting on outdoor clothing, while visual cues helped children understand changes in the routine. A sand timer, for example, signalled when play should give way to tidying. These small tasks gave children ways to participate in the day for themselves.

Children bring their own healthy snack and, when staying for lunch, a packed lunch; milk and water are supplied during the day. Families therefore retain responsibility for preparing the food their child eats at nursery.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon and afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm, with the option to remain for the whole day. The timetable includes lunch for children staying across the sessions or joining for the afternoon.

This is a term-time arrangement, so school holidays sit outside the nursery's opening pattern. The choice between a morning, an afternoon and an all-day stay allows families to match attendance to a shorter preschool routine or a longer nursery day.

Getting There

The address is Byron Avenue, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 8BA, while the entrance gate is off Betjeman Avenue. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01793 848978 or through the contact form.

In October 2024, Longleaze operated within the grounds of Longleaze Primary School. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered during term time. Three- and four-year-olds can receive up to 15 funded hours a week from the term after their third birthday; some parents qualify for up to 30 hours. Qualifying two-year-olds may receive up to 15 hours from the term after their second birthday, including children meeting the stated benefits, DLA or care-related conditions.

Parents complete a form so the nursery can claim the funding. Families using privately paid sessions can obtain current prices in a written quotation from the nursery. Snacks and packed lunches are supplied by parents for funded attendance as well as privately paid sessions.

• Term-time coverage. Morning, afternoon and all-day sessions operate within the 9am-to-3pm opening window. Families needing care during school holidays must account for that break in provision.
• Training into practice. At its October 2024 inspection, Ofsted asked Longleaze to give staff more opportunity to reflect on training and exchange what they had learned, so that it changed their work with children. A visit is a useful opportunity to discuss how that now happens.
• Food and funded extras. Parents prepare snacks and packed lunches. When discussing a funded booking, ask which additional charges, if any, apply to activities or non-food consumables, so the attendance arrangement and its costs are clear together.

Longleaze suits families seeking morning preschool sessions, afternoon attendance or an all-day place during term time. The garden, school-hall PE and balance between individual play and group activities give its timetable substance. Weekly newsletters and scheduled key-worker conversations also make parent communication a concrete part of the offer.

The practical boundary is its term-time, 9am-to-3pm schedule. Within that pattern, the October 2024 assessment supports a positive view, while the training improvement point gives families a specific matter to explore. It is a useful option for parents who want a preschool routine with several attendance choices rather than a longer opening day.