Fulford Pre-School CIO

A fairy tale canopy for books, a garden children can use freely and a parent committee with responsibility for running the setting give Fulford Pre-School CIO a recognisable character. This is independent preschool provision within St Oswalds C of E Primary School in York, with children’s play and family involvement shaping the offer.

There are 26 places in total, and term-time provision welcomes children aged 2 to 5. At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good overall. That dated judgement sits alongside practical features parents can weigh directly: flexible play spaces, a named key person and a learning book shared with families.

Morning and afternoon sessions sit between Breakfast Club and After School Club. The combination serves families seeking a short preschool session as well as those needing care around it.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning through play, exploration and physical activity, with communication, relationships and movement developing alongside early literacy, mathematics and creative expression. It is the framework for the day rather than an additional programme. A key person adjusts activities to the child’s interests and needs, giving individual learning a place within shared routines.

Phase One of letters and sounds adds a specific emphasis on listening and recognising sounds before later phonics work. Children practise hearing sounds around them and preparing to blend and separate spoken sounds; the aim is for them to join a phonics group twice a week. The emphasis is on spoken language and attention, rather than rushing straight to written letters.

In September 2023, adults used children’s interest in building bricks to introduce counting, dimensions and shapes. There was a clear limitation too: planning did not identify new topic vocabulary precisely enough. For parents, the useful distinction is between having engaging activities and making sure those activities introduce the words children need to understand them fully.

Play Spaces and Outdoor Life

Construction/Small world, Home Corner and the Creative ‘Mr Maker’ area give children different starting points for play. Quiet Room and Book Corner provides a quieter alternative, while the fairy tale canopy creates a specific place to enjoy stories. Books remain accessible throughout the day, so reading can be a child’s choice as well as an adult-led activity.

Mark-making materials are also freely accessible. Children can choose brushes, chalks or pencils and work on different scales, giving them ways to experiment with movement and marks before formal writing. Story sessions, singing and craft activities provide adult direction alongside children’s own choices.

Free flow access connects indoor play with the secure outdoor area. A stage, balancing beams and a permanent sand pit support performance, physical challenge and exploratory play; the Flower and vegetable garden and Mini beast area add opportunities to notice living things. These are useful options for children whose interests change during a session.

In September 2023, children searched for ladybirds together and collaborated on a boat made from large bricks. Balance bikes and monkey bars were also part of their outdoor activity then. Those examples show how shared projects and movement featured in the day at that time, rather than reducing outdoor learning to a break between indoor activities.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a Key Person who follows their development and acts as the family’s main contact. Photographs, observations and pieces of creative work are collected in an individual Personal Book and shared with the child and parents. This gives conversations about progress concrete examples to work from, rather than relying only on a brief verbal update.

Taster Sessions introduce the routines and staff and provide an opportunity to meet the key person. Settling is treated individually: some children adjust quickly and others need longer. In September 2023, new starters drew comfort from adults they had already met, while less confident children explored the garden with adult support.

The same September 2023 findings identified a weakness in the transfer of information from parents to staff before children started. Details gathered through the all about me form did not consistently reach practitioners in time, leaving occasional gaps in developmental support. That makes the handover of family knowledge a useful subject for a settling discussion.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the September 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well supported, with links to specialist agencies helping families obtain additional support. These are inspection-time findings, rather than assurances about an individual child’s future experience.

Morning and afternoon snack provision includes a healthy snack with milk or water, and children receive a water bottle for access to drinks during the day. Parents supply a packed lunch, which must be nut free. Spare named clothes, weather-appropriate clothing and indoor shoes help children take part in messy and outdoor activities.

Parents also have a role beyond their own child’s care. An elected parent/carer committee oversees management, finances and employment, with monthly meetings and an annual AGM. Families can contribute skills or support fundraising; equipment and toys draw on fundraising, grants and donations. This is a setting where participation can extend beyond attending consultations.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool is on Heslington Lane, York, YO10 4LX, within St Oswalds C of E Primary School. Opening hours are 7.45am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday during term time.

Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am to 8.45am, followed by Morning Session from 8.45am to 11.45am. Lunch Club occupies 11.45am to 12.15pm; Afternoon Session runs from 12.15pm to 3.15pm, and After School Club continues from 3.15pm to 5.30pm. These are separate booking options, so the opening window should not be mistaken for a single attendance pattern.

A Session Request form and Registration Form begin the joining process; completing them does not guarantee a place. Telephone, email and a contact form provide enquiry routes.

Sharing the school building does not make the preschool part of the school. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and families still use the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes Universal Funding Entitlement and Extended Funding Entitlement, with provision also described for eligible two-year-olds. Funding is delivered during term time across 38 weeks. Families complete a declaration each term so the preschool can claim the allocated funding from City of York Council.

Private hours are charged when attendance exceeds the funded allowance; increasing sessions after the term’s declaration has been completed also brings charges for the added sessions. Fees are billed at the start of each term. Current prices come in the preschool’s written quotation, with the charge structure outlined on its Times & Fees page.

Lunch is supplied from home, and a separate consumables charge applies to morning and afternoon sessions. Those practical costs belong alongside the funded entitlement when planning attendance.

• Starting information. In September 2023, information from the all about me form was not consistently passed to staff before children started. During a Taster Session, ask how your child’s abilities, interests and support needs will reach the practitioners caring for them.
• Language teaching. September 2023 planning needed greater precision about vocabulary. Ask how new words are now selected and reinforced alongside Phase One sound activities.
• Term-time arrangements. The main sessions operate during term time, with clubs extending the day. Match those patterns to your working calendar and request a written breakdown of private hours and session consumables.
• Packed lunch. Families provide a nut-free lunch. If your child has an allergy or special diet, confirm the current food arrangements before booking.

Fulford suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, including those who need Breakfast Club or After School Club around them. Its strongest practical attractions are children’s freedom to choose play materials, direct access outdoors and a key person’s record of their learning. Parent committee involvement adds another way to take part.

The September 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, with vocabulary planning and the transfer of starting information important points to explore. The school setting is convenient for understanding the preschool’s location, but it carries no guarantee of a Reception place.