About Us
Sessions
We operate during term times with Steam Mills Primary School. Due to the popularity of our setting, we currently only admit children from the age of 3 years. We run sessions for up to 16 children, Monday to Friday mornings and afternoons. We can therefore offer either part or full day care. Morning sessions run from 9am to 12pm and afternoon sessions are from 12pm to 3pm. Therefore a full day session will run from 9am to 3pm.
Wrap around care can be offered from 7.45am-9.00am each morning and from 3.00pm until 5.30pm each afternoon should it be required. This is an additional service and is not included in free hours.
Key Person
As part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles, we use a ‘Key Person’ approach. This means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom he/she is particularly responsible, and with whom they will build a special relationship. Each child‘s Key Person will work closely with parents to ensure that what we provide is right for that child‘s particular needs and interests. The Key Person will also be responsible for developing appropriate play based experiences to help each child learn and develop, and for maintaining their records.
Where it is deemed appropriate, a child may have more than 1 key person.
Learning Journeys
During a child‘s time at the Pre-School, the staff will develop a special record known as a ‘Learning Journey’. This will contain annotated photographs depicting children‘s interests and achievements, observation records known as ‘Learning Stories’, examples of their work and periodic assessments. We encourage parents to contribute to the records, review them with parents, and also with the children to help them recall their achievements, and to feel a sense of pride.
Healthy Eating
During each morning and afternoon session, we provide children with a fairly substantial, healthy snack. Children also receive free milk, and water is offered as an alternative. Children who stay for lunch need to have a packed lunch, and again we encourage healthy choices.
Partnership with Parents
As a setting, we respect and recognise that parents know their child better than anybody else, and welcome and value their input. We aim to keep parents informed about their child‘s development in a variety of ways, for example, through newsletters, our information boards and informal opportunities to share information. Throughout the year, we provide a number of opportunities and ways in which parents can become more involved with the setting. Some examples of these may include:
- Parent/carer open days and information evenings
- Fundraising activities
- Special events, such as fun-days, sports events, outings
Funding/Fees
All pre-school children aged 3 and 4 years old are entitled to 15 hours per week of nursery funding, the term following their third birthday. Fees for children who are not eligible for this funding, or for those who attend for more than 15 hours, are currently £4.50 (in January 2024 the fees are going up to £5.50 per hour). We can provide parents with detailed information about nursery funding on request.
We do also accept the new 30 hours funding, which needs to be secured with a code that you as parents/carers will need to apply for. If you have any questions regarding this, please see Ms Agg in the school office.
Children can start at Steam Mills Pre-School from the day of their 3rd birthday. If they are entitled to the 2 year old funding it can be used from the day of the child's 3rd birthday.
Transitions to Local Primary Schools
Children from our setting move on to attend several local schools, including Steam Mills Primary School. We work very closely with Reception Class teachers from all these schools, and ensure that all the children moving on from our Pre-School have as much support as they need with this important transition. Parents should note that attending our Pre-School in no way guarantees a place at Steam Mills Primary School. For information about school admissions, parents should contact Gloucestershire County Council.