St Andrew's Pre-School

St Andrew's Pre-school Logo

Our Pre-school offers a wide range of equipment both indoors and outside to cover the seven areas of learning and the Characteristics of Effective Learning.

Age range 2 years 6 months to 5 years. Open 38 weeks of the academic year. Closed on Fridays. One-off non refundable registration fee of £20.00 and completion of registration form required to join our waiting list. 

Our aim is to have two intakes of children a year every September and January. If there are still places available we may accept children in April

We offer morning only sessions (3 hours) and all day sessions (5.5 hours). We do not offer afternoon only sessions. All children must attend a minimum of 3 sessions per week. Attending all day equates to 2 sessions.

All day sessions are available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Morning only sessions are available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Government funded sessions (both universal and extended funding) and an additional fee paying element paid directly to Pre-school. Please refer to our website for full details of our fees.

This setting has signed up to offer Tax Free Childcare.

 

Who to contact

Contact Name
Katharine Yarwood
Contact Position
Manager
Telephone
07981 195435 (during our opening times) 07981 195435 (during our opening times)
E-mail
kath@standrewspreschoolcaversham.org.uk
Website
www.standrewspreschoolcaversham.org.uk
Scan to visit this website

Where to go

Name
St. Andrew's Church Hall
Address
Albert Road
Caversham
Reading
Berkshire
Postcode
RG4 7AW
Directions to RG4 7AW

Time / Date Details

Session Information
Monday to Thursday 09:15 - 14:45
Friday closed.

Costs

Costs
£6.90 (2 year old)  Per Hour
Costs
£6.36 (3 & 4 Year old)  Per Hour
Details
Families entitled to funding are also required to pay for half an hour of every session attended.

Inclusion Information

Wheelchair access
Yes
Special Needs provision
Yes
Special Needs Experience
Delayed speech
Speech & Language difficulties
Dietary needs
Visual impairment
Hearing Impairment
Aspergers Syndrome
Downs syndrome
Cystic Fibrosis
Heart conditions
Partially sighted
Provision for special dietary needs
Yes
Can make special cultural provisions
Yes

Childcare Information

Vacancies

Immediate vacancies
No
Details
We are accepting registrations for our September 2025 intake onwards. Please refer to our website for details on how to register. Thank you.
Updated
13/03/2024

Funded Places

Has 3 & 4 year old funding
Yes
Has 2 year old funding
Yes

30 Hours Extended Entitlements

Additional 15 hours of *Free* childcare offered
Yes
When are the additional 15 hours available? (e.g. Monday to Friday, 8am to 1pm)
Monday to Thursday 9.45am - 2.45pm
Intending to provide 30 Hours?
Yes
30 Hours Partner Summary
The maximum number of hours that we are open is 22 per week.

Opening Times & Facilities

Opening Times
Opening Times
DayOpening TimeClosing Time
Monday 09:15 14:45
Tuesday 09:15 14:45
Wednesday 09:15 14:45
Thursday 09:15 14.45
Friday Closed Closed

School Pickups

Offers school pickups
No

Ofsted Information

Ofsted URN
116825Link to latest Ofsted inspection report 
Inspection history
Inspection History
DatetypeOutcome
29/11/2006IntegratedOutstanding
18/11/2009Inspection (Early Years Register)Outstanding
21/01/2015Inspection (Early Years Register)Outstanding
19/06/2019Inspection (Early Years Register)Outstanding

Local Offer

Contact Name
St Andrew's Pre-School
Contact Telephone
Katharine Yarwood
Contact Email
kath@standrewspreschoolcaversham.org.uk
Links
St Andrews Pre-School - Website
Local Offer Age Bands
Early Years (0-4 years)
SEN Provision Type
Universal
Local Offer Updated
24/07/2023

Early Years Private, Voluntary & Independent Settings

Description

St. Andrew’s Pre-school was registered in September 1968.  We are a ‘pack away’ setting based in a church hall in Caversham Heights.  We are registered for 30 children per session.  We are open for up to 38 weeks a year.  Our facilities for the children include a main hall, meeting room, a fenced playground and a secluded garden.

We are a charity setting and registered with Early Years Alliance and Ofsted.  We are regularly inspected by Ofsted, work closely with Brighter Futures For Children at Reading Borough Council and also with other professionals who support us with training and Early Years advice.  We are run by a parent committee.  Our committee are responsible for employing a highly qualified and experienced staff team to manage the day-to-day running of the setting.  

A Pre-school is a charity formed as an alliance between parents and staff to provide quality Pre-school education for their children.  Parents are actively involved in all aspects of our Pre-school and without their support, the Pre-school would not exist. 

ETHOS AND VALUES

Our Vision

 To support St. Andrew’s Pre-school children to become confident, independent, resilient, enthusiastic and inquisitive in a happy, stable, safe, consistent and stimulating environment.

                                                                    "Play, learn, achieve and stay safe together"


Our Mission Statement

  • To provide a caring and happy environment which ensures stability, safety and consistency with familiar routines and predictability.
  • To help children to develop their confidence and independence.
  • To provide high quality, exciting and stimulating education and care where children develop the skills they need for learning and developing in all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
  • To ‘lay the foundations’ for their future learning.
  • To promote close relationships with families and share the education of their children.
  • To ensure that we work closely with other Early Years Professionals to support children in our care who may have additional needs.


Values and Ethos

  • All children should be cared for with high levels of predictability, structure and nuture.
  • Andrew’s Pre-school is an outstanding setting providing education and care for children and their families.
  • The stimulating environment and a balance of ‘In the moment’ and loose planning gives children opportunities to enjoy and extend their learning.
  • We promote creativity and give children the opportunities to be imaginative and critical thinkers.
  • We strive to help children develop confidence and independence and create a positive attitude to learning.
  • We provide a happy, stable and caring atmosphere where children feel safe and can develop and learn.
  • We promote high standards of behaviour and help children to understand each other’s feelings.
  • Children learn to care for and respect themselves and others, to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others and to be aware of inequalities associated with race, gender and ability.
  • We work closely with parents and carers as we believe that the child’s learning and achievement is something we should all be a part of.
  • We support children with additional needs to ensure that their opportunities and experiences are valuable and of high quality.

Last user update: July 2023

1: How does the setting identify children with additional needs or SEND?

There are a number of ways in which we identify children with additional needs. 

We welcome new children and their parents into the setting for several visits before their starting date, as well as arranging a home visit before the start of the academic year.  During these visits, parents often discuss any concerns or questions about their child’s development with the Manager.  These visits also give the staff team time to get to know the children and parents or carers.

During the visits, or leading up to the official starting date, parents complete an ‘All about me’ document for the setting, which may highlight any concerns. A virtual tour is also available on our website.

Each child is assigned a Key Person.  The Key Person continuously monitors and observes the children using a combination of Development Matters, Birth to 5, the Reading Speech and Language Monitoring tool, timed observations, the 2 year development check and our own profile on entry development check.  Parents keep up to date with the progress of their child through daily verbal communication and 'Tapestry', our online journal.  Tapestry is also an excellent way for parents to share activities and events that their child takes part in outside Pre-school.

We also receive referrals from Health Visitors, Pre-school Support Teachers and Speech and Language Therapists.

2: How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?

We are a very welcoming Pre-school and value the strong communication that we have with our families.  Through the daily verbal communication with the Key Person, Manager and /or SENCo we plan progress, consult our families and discuss concerns.  During these discussions, we organise meetings to review individual provision and support.  Meetings may only involve staff within the setting, or when necessary, we will arrange for external agencies to attend.  Strategies will be put in place to support individual children.  

We use Tapestry - an online journal to share information with families and provide guidance and support.  We also use the two-year check and our own baseline to highlight any areas of concern, or to show additional support suggestions.

3: How will the setting adapt the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for my child's needs?

Each child within our setting is treated as an individual and all children develop at their own rates and in their own ways.  We make reasonable adjustments for all children.  

Through Key Person and other staff observations, individual needs are identified.  Parents will be invited to work with the Key Person and SENCo to implement an Individual Support Plan (ISP) to set realistic targets for a child with additional needs.  These targets will have detailed achievable goals set to specific times and dates.  As the ISP reaches the review date, parents will again be invited to meet with the Key Person and SENCo to discuss and plan the next steps.  

External agencies such as Speech and Language, Pre-school Support, or Sensory Consortium, may be involved in producing the ISP’s.  These agencies also support our setting by giving staff training, guidance notes and/or activities to help individual children.  We will also work with other agencies to start the process of putting an EHC plan into place when necessary.

4: What teaching strategies does the setting use for children with additional needs or learning difficulties?

Our teaching strategies include:

·        A visual timetable and visual cards

·        Individual Support Plans

·        Support from external agencies such as SLT

·        Behavioural plans

·        Motivational stickers

·        1:1 or small group support

We value the support and advice of external professionals involved with individual children.  By involving them within our setting, our staff are able to observe and implement ideas, suggestions and follow strategies.

5: What additional support does the setting provide for children with additional needs or SEND?

Our Pre-school SENCo regularly attends meetings and training sessions to enhance knowledge.  She will then implement any SEN changes, or updates and support the staff team.  Our SENCo is currently studying towards the Early Years Level 3 SENCo award.  As a team we have also taken part in BFFC whole team SEN training.

We provide 1:1 support, when possible.  Our SENCo, Key Person and parents compile information required to apply to the Early Years Inclusion Fund Panel.  The panel (consisting of repesentatives from EY settings, SENCo's, EP's and Portage Workers) meet regularly to decide if short term funding is available to support a child within the setting, or to fund additional specialist equipment.  Funding may or may not be given to the setting. 

We liaise closely with our local Children’s Centre.  Through the Children’s Centre we have access to specialist support from Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Drop-ins and other support groups.  We display information about the Childrens’ Centre support network events on our parents’ notice boards and website.

6: How will the setting monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this?

All staff within the setting carry out observations.  The Key Person records these observations and any photographs in the child's online journal 'Tapestry'.

We track progress using Birth to 5, verbal communication with our families and annual reports.

We encourage parents to look at the journals online at least once a week and to add comments and observations of their own. 

We arrange regular meetings with individual parents when necessary, for example, to review an ISP.

We ask our parents to fill in a ‘shared setting’ form when a child starts with us if they attend another setting as well as ours.  This form tells us which setting the child attends and gives us permission to contact the setting and share information.  We will always notify parents if we request or pass on information.

7: How do you ensure children with additional needs or SEND can be included in the same activities as other children, including trips?

We are now following 'In The Moment' planning as well as following a loose weekly topic.  We prepare an engaging environment with materials that will excite and interest all children whatever their needs. We ensure that we make reasonable adjustments so that all children are able to join in with all activities.

Occasionally we take our children to the post box and on nature walks in small groups.  We ensure that we have a high ratio of staff on these walks and we carry out a detailed Risk Assessment for the needs of all our children.  We do not organise other trips or outings unless it is a Pre-school event in which all parents accompany their children.  

 

8: How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?

Access to the building from the car park is via a fixed ramp.  There is also a ramp into the building from the link door.  We also have a portable ramp to allow access around the rest of the building.  The equipment and resources set up in the main hall ensure ease of movement around tables and carpets.

There are two disabled toilets, one accessed through the small hall and the other through the link to the church.

9: How will you support my child's transition to a new setting or school?

Transition is a very important part of our Pre-school year.  We have excellent relationships with all local schools and other settings in the area.

We also support transition by spending time pracitising activities such as changing shoes, practising opening lunch boxes and developing good self-help skills.

We use photos and booklets from our feeder schools to show the children.  We take time to talk about the pictures and encourage the children to ask questions.  We also use a range of story books about starting school.

Local schools visit our setting to meet the children starting with them, as well as talking to the Manager and/or the Key Person about individual children and their needs.  The schools often bring in school booklets with photographs for us so that we can spend time showing our children in smaller groups leading up to transition.

If necessary a Transition Meeting will be set up by the Manager before the end of the term.  This meeting involves parents, Pre-school representatives and staff from the feeder school. Conversations take place to decide how best to support the child moving on to the new setting.  We use the Early Years SEN Transitions passport to support these conversations.

We arrange transition meetings with school SENCo’s and any other external professionals for children with additional needs in the last term that they are with us.  The initial meetings often take place within our setting, but follow-up meetings may take place at the school or new setting.

DURING COVID-19 SOME MEETINGS AND VISITS ARE TAKING PLACE VIRTUALLY.

10: How does the setting assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers take part in this evaluation?

We regularly review and update our policies and procedures.

The SENCo attends any meetings or training to ensure that our provision is up to date and relevant.

We arrange meetings with parents to ensure that they feel happy with the provision.

The Manager/ SENCo and Key Person assess the provision and make changes when necessary.  We would record these changes in our Action Plan and Self Evaluation documents.

We have a SENCo studying for the Early Years Level 3 SENCo award.  She is given updates, information aand support to ensure that as a setting we are effective in our support.

11: Who should I contact if I am considering registering for a place at the setting?

To register with us. please go to our website www.standrewspreschoolcaversham.org.uk and click on the "Registration" tab and then "How to Register". You will be able to download our registration form and there is also lots of useful information provided.

Alternatively, if you are unable to find the answer to a question, please click on the "Contact Us" tab and send us an e-mail. Thank you. 

 

12: What arrangements does the setting have for feedback from parents / carers, including compliments and complaints?

Our staff team are available each session for parents to verbally feedback any comments, concerns, compliments, or complaints.

We have a complaints procedure.

We send out an anonymous annual parent questionnaire

We encourage parents to add comments to their child’s 'Tapestry' journal and to add their own photos of family events etc.

We ask for comments on the children’s reports as well as meeting parents at our transition meetings and induction session.

Photographs of our committee are displayed in our parent’s information area.  This enables other parents to give confidential feedback to the managing body.

We display details of Ofsted complaints contact numbers. 

We keep scrapbooks displaying cards and letters from our families.

 

Updated July 2023

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Disclaimer

This information has been collected from third party providers therefore the Reading Services Guide, Reading Borough Council (RBC) and Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of this information and recommends that parents, carers, young people, residents and professionals check with providers regarding DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) and OFSTED registrations and CQC registrations. Information collected by Reading Service Guide; is used solely to implement and supply the Family Information Service (FIS), Special Educational Needs & Disabilities - Reading's Local Offer, Adults & Carers Support Group and Reading Youth.

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