Little Learners at West Huntspill Primary School

One classroom, natural materials and an outdoor area used as part of the learning space give Little Learners its character. This is West Huntspill Primary Academy’s preschool, welcoming children from age 2, with up to 20 children together at any one time. That limit describes the group using the classroom, rather than the size of the whole school.

Play is the starting point. The preschool also gives children opportunities to join in academy life, so their experience extends beyond their own class. Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 3 and 4 October 2023. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision.

Morning and afternoon sessions sit either side of a separate lunch period, with Breakfast Club providing an earlier start. This gives the day clear blocks: time for learning before lunch, a pause to eat, then an afternoon session.

Little Learners follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Here, the practical examples make that framework easier to understand: in October 2023, children developed early mathematical understanding through shape sorting and experimented with writing by making letters for a classroom postbox. These activities give early number work and writing a purpose children can grasp.

Natural resources are available indoors, while the outdoor area continues the classroom’s learning opportunities. In October 2023, learning across both spaces helped children develop their knowledge. The nursery curriculum also supported preparation for starting school. The emphasis is on learning through activity, with the postbox a concrete example of how a familiar everyday task becomes an opportunity to practise writing.

The preschool team includes a manager, a deputy manager with an INNCO role, a practitioner and a lunchtime assistant. Lunch has its own half-hour slot between the two learning sessions, making it a distinct part of the day.

For additional learning needs, the school uses an assess, plan, do and review cycle. Families contribute to planning alongside the class teacher and SENDCo, with outside agencies involved where appropriate. This creates a process for adjusting support as a child’s needs become clearer.

A school Learning Mentor can help with settling, emotional regulation and changes between classes or settings. Families can make contact through the school office. That offers a route for discussing worries about starting school or managing change, rather than treating those concerns solely as learning difficulties.

Attending Little Learners does not guarantee a Reception place at West Huntspill. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the deadline for their child’s entry year. Treat choosing preschool and applying for school as two separate decisions.

Opportunities to participate in academy life are part of the preschool experience. They should be understood as familiarity with school life, rather than an admissions advantage.

Breakfast Club runs from 8.00am to 8.45am. The morning session is 8.45am to 11.45am, lunch is 11.45am to 12.15pm, and the afternoon session runs from 12.15pm to 3.15pm.

For children aged three and above, funded provision is described as either 15 or 30 hours each week, during term time only, depending on eligibility. Two-year-old funding routes cover qualifying working families and families meeting Somerset’s supported-family criteria. Eligibility matters when planning attendance.

Register interest and enquire about open days through EyLog. For preschool enquiries, email westlittlelearners@thpa.theplt.org.uk or telephone 01278 783842. Contact the school for current charges.