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Woodville Pre-School opened in October 2023 as a result of demand in the community for term-time-only fully funded spaces in an area of deprivation.
Storal nursery group was approached by the local authority to expand its existing Outstanding Woodville Nursery School. The group changed its model to remove additional costs, such as enabling children to bring in lunch from home, so that it is as inclusive as possible to local families.
In a short time, the pre-school has become a heart of the community. Staff understand that each child is an individual and they arrive with their own life story. Parents are recognised as children’s first educators and an emphasis is placed on parent partnerships.
The pre-school follows the unique Storal curriculum, which has been created so staff are clear of what they want children to learn at each stage of their development. Skilled educators observe children to determine next steps to build on their skills and knowledge. Particular attention is paid to children’s interests so that the pre-school environments can be planned to capture their imagination, get them exploring and deepen their understanding of the world.
Authentic natural materials are used to encourage children’s creativity – a large cardboard tube is a tunnel for cars one day, an oar to row the boat the next. A painting and colour-mixing activity to support the development of fine motor skills led educators to realise that some of the children were particularly interested in and competent in using the finer paintbrushes. This evolved into painting flowers, and when real flowers were introduced, educators were astounded with the levels of concentration and detail shown.
Books, stories, songs and rhymes are used as a vehicle to inspire curiosity and learning. They encourage singing because it raises endorphins in the body, which contributes positively to the children’s wellbeing.
Staff are proud of their strong partnerships with families. They have introduced a monthly book café so educators can role-model to parents how to make a story fun, stimulating and engaging and how they can extend their children’s learning in different ways. Parents are also regularly welcomed into the pre-school through events and encouraged to share what children do at home via a learning app.
The diverse team have the support of the sister nursery to share good practice and benefit from wider collaborations. They come from the local area so understand the children’s cultural capital and can tailor the pre-school experience to them.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Bybrook Pre-school – Yatton Keynell, Wiltshire
A strong team has resulted in a loving, kind, caring, family-like setting that harbours compassion and respect. Children are taught to love and respect their environment, and they have built strong connections in the village.
Venture Outdoor Kindergarten – Kingsbridge, Devon
A gentle, unobtrusive, unhurried approach generates trust and respect between the team, the children and their families. Venture is warm and welcoming, with a huge emphasis placed on developing relationships while exploring and learning outdoors.
FINALISTS
The Old Forge Day Nursery – Findern, Derbyshire
The Wharf Nursery School– Godalming, Surrey
CRITERION
Open to registered settings offering sessional care and education.
