Castlemorton Caterpillars Pre-School Review

Weekly woodland learning and a place in Yellow Class give Caterpillars its character: this is a pre-school closely connected to everyday primary school life. At Castlemorton Church of England Primary School, the provision welcomes children aged 2 years 9 months to 4, with entry also accepted in the term when a child turns three. Pre-school and Reception belong to Yellow Class, bringing the two stages together within the school.

The setting has a Christian identity. Its vision links faith with compassion, justice, respect, perseverance and courage, giving families a clear sense of the values behind its approach.

Play drives the nursery’s approach. Caterpillars describes its learning as child-centred, with independence and creativity among its aims. Its early years curriculum addresses physical, emotional, social and cognitive development: learning here means developing movement, relationships and thinking alongside early academic skills.

Forest School adds a concrete outdoor dimension. The woodland site lies within the school grounds, and early years children have weekly sessions. Activities include using tools, playing and learning about the natural world, with physical and social boundaries part of the experience. Sessions continue through the year in almost all weather, so outdoor learning is a regular part of the week rather than an occasional outing.

Shared school experiences also reach the pre-school. In November 2024, children took part in an interactive performance of The Nutcracker by Toscana Strings, supported by Severn Arts. Music, movement and storytelling brought an arts experience into the school hall.

Teachers and teaching assistants form the pre-school team. Caterpillars places emphasis on individual attention and communication with parents, making partnership with families part of its stated approach.

For children needing additional support, the school uses a graduated response involving parents and carers. Support moves from adaptations within classroom teaching to additional interventions and more individually tailored help. This gives families a structure for discussing their child’s needs as support develops. A SEND coordinator provides a contact through the school office.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions route, Worcestershire Schools Admissions, by the deadline for their entry year. For the 2026-27 intake, the closing date was 15 January 2026; that deadline has passed.

Sharing Yellow Class offers continuity of people and surroundings, but it does not settle the admissions decision. Treat classroom familiarity and the application process as separate matters.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at its November 2022 inspection, but Caterpillars was then outside governing-body management, so this is not a separate nursery grade. The same inspection identified a weakness in continuity between early years learning and the curriculum that followed, making progression an issue for families to keep in view.

Caterpillars operates for 38 weeks during school terms, Monday to Friday, with its core day running from 8:45am to 3:15pm. Breakfast club begins at 7:45am and afternoon wraparound extends to 6pm. Additional hours and these extensions carry extra charges; contact the school for current charges.

The nursery accepts 15 funded universal hours for children aged three and four, plus 15 additional funded hours for working parents. Childcare vouchers are accepted too.

Forest School requires practical clothing: wellies, long sleeves and waterproof trousers, with warmer layers for cold weather. Some coats and waterproofs can be borrowed by arrangement. To enquire or arrange a visit, contact the school office on 01684 833282.