Snowdrop Cottage Pre-school

Open spaces and growing independence give Snowdrop Cottage Pre-school its character. In the Old School Building, younger children have the downstairs Daffodil Room, while preschool children use the upstairs Sunflower Preschool Room. Serving lunch for themselves and contributing ideas at circle time are part of the preparation for school. These are useful, everyday steps towards doing more independently.

At its October 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the pre-school Good, found safeguarding effective and judged support for children with special educational needs and disabilities positively. The important qualification concerns teaching: children needed more thinking time between questions, and older children sometimes needed clearer direction during activities led by adults.

The pre-school serves children aged 24 to 60 months at The Old School Hall in Chippenham. It opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, across the year, with bank holiday closures.

Rooms and Ages

The Daffodil Room is downstairs and accommodates two- and three-year-olds, with open space for play and an emphasis on becoming more independent. Its position gives the younger children their own base within the Old School Building rather than treating the whole pre-school as a single undifferentiated space.

Upstairs, the Sunflower Preschool Room combines a large, open environment with opportunities to make decisions, serve lunch and contribute during circle time. Independence here has a practical meaning: children take part in the routines around them, rather than leaving every decision and task to an adult.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning and care, with play and everyday experiences helping children develop communication, relationships and independence. Snowdrop Cottage's shared inclusion policy links this to recognising feelings, considering other people's perspectives and adapting learning to what each child can already do. The framework is the starting point, rather than an extra programme.

In October 2024, activities followed children's interests, with practitioners adapting experiences to individual next steps. Games involving waiting and sharing gave children opportunities to practise social skills. Children could also choose their play companions and activities, alongside learning organised by adults. That balance matters for families who want preparation for school to retain space for children's own ideas.

The teaching caveats deserve attention alongside those strengths. In October 2024, questioning sometimes moved on before children had processed their thoughts. Some activities directed by adults also left older children uncertain about the task. These are specific issues about the pace and clarity of teaching, rather than a reason to dismiss the whole nursery day.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play brought substantial physical activity in October 2024. Children practised balancing and climbing, moved close to the ground and constructed things, developing control through active play. The outdoor environment therefore contributed to the learning day as well as providing a change of setting.

Snowdrop Cottage's shared outings policy includes local walks and visits beyond the premises. General parental consent covers ordinary outings, while major trips require separate consent. This gives families a defined role in decisions about experiences outside the nursery.

Relationships and Communication

A key person connects care, learning and communication with home. Under Snowdrop Cottage's shared parent partnership policy, families contribute information about their child's starting point and continue sharing what happens at home. Handovers and a closed Facebook page carry information about activities and routines. The practical value is continuity: a child's experiences at home can inform what happens during the nursery day.

In October 2024, settling took place gradually, with parents involved from the beginning. Telephone conversations and daily discussions supported ongoing contact. Families had also attended an art day celebrating children's work, giving them an opportunity to engage with learning beyond a brief handover.

Staffing figures belong to that visit: in October 2024, 18 staff worked directly with children across the pre-school. This is a whole-setting employment count, rather than the number of adults assigned to either room or a measure of children's group sizes.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Snowdrop Cottage's shared behaviour policy uses Five to Thrive: Trauma Informed Practice to support emotional understanding. Adults help children identify feelings, connect with them and use calming techniques suited to the individual. The approach gives practitioners a sequence for responding to distress, with discussion following once a child is calmer.

The shared SEND policy sets out a SENCO-led cycle of assessing needs, planning support, putting it into practice and reviewing its effect. Parents help agree outcomes and review dates, while the key person carries out daily support with SENCO guidance. Transition arrangements can involve other professionals and the receiving setting or school. These are concrete mechanisms for organising support, rather than a general promise that every need will be met in the same way.

Sleep follows individual routines rather than one compulsory rest period, and staff discuss changes with families. Toilet training is coordinated with parents around each child's development, helping keep routines consistent between home and nursery.

The shared nutrition policy provides breakfast, lunch, tea and two snacks for children attending a full day, while the allergy policy uses an individual Allergy Care Plan developed with families. These policies describe how food and dietary needs are managed; allergy-affected families should discuss their child's arrangements before joining.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Old School Hall, St Mary Street, Chippenham, SN15 3JW. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm on weekdays, with operation across the year and closures on bank holidays. The opening window is useful for assessing whether the location fits around work and family routines.

Enquiries can be made through Snowdrop Cottage's contact form, by email or by telephone. Specify the pre-school in the Old School Building when making contact, since Snowdrop Cottage also operates nearby nursery provision.

Funding and Paid Extras

In October 2024, the pre-school provided funded care and early education. Funding and the cost of a particular attendance arrangement should be considered together when planning a child's place.

• Thinking time and teaching clarity. In October 2024, children sometimes faced another question before they had processed the first, and older children needed clearer direction in adult-led activities. During a visit, ask how practitioners now pace questions and explain tasks in the Sunflower Preschool Room.
• Two floors and growing independence. Daffodil Room is downstairs and Sunflower Preschool Room is upstairs. A visit can explore how your child will manage the move between stages and how staff support participation in daily routines.
• The funded attendance package. Funded care was part of the offer in October 2024. What attendance patterns and funded entitlement arrangements apply to the pre-school, and how are meals and non-food consumables charged within your proposed booking?

Snowdrop Cottage Pre-school suits families seeking toddler and preschool provision that makes independence practical: room routines, lunch and circle time all give children ways to participate. Its separate downstairs and upstairs spaces provide a clear progression through the Old School Building.

The October 2024 judgement supports a positive assessment, with important teaching details to explore before choosing. Families who value involvement in learning and a structured approach to additional needs have concrete arrangements to consider here. The deciding visit should test the clarity of older children's activities and how comfortably the room progression fits your child.