WHINSTONE PRE-SCHOOL

Welcome to Whinstone Pre-School, we hope this will be the start of a happy, exciting and successful school journey for your child.

OUR PRE-SCHOOL TEAM:

  • Pre-School Teachers: Miss McNaughton and Miss Yeoman
  • Pre-School Teaching Assistants: Miss Quartley and Miss Edwards
  • EYFS Lead: Mrs Wilson-Dukes (Reception teacher)

We offer a number of different sessions in Pre-School.

  • First half of the week (Monday and Tuesday full days and Wednesday morning)
  • Second half of the week (Wednesday afternoon and Thursday and Friday full days)

We now also offer full time 30 hours provision
Children need to bring a packed lunch. This will be eaten in Pre-School with our qualified lunchtime supervisors.

TIMINGS OF THE PRE-SCHOOL DAY:

Full days:

  • Doors open to welcome children at 8.55am and close at 9.05am
  • Doors open for home time at 3.15pm and close at 3.25pm

Wednesday morning session:

  • Doors open to welcome children at 8.55am and close at 9.05am
  • Doors open for home time at 11.45am and close at 11.55am.

Wednesday afternoon session:

  • Doors open to welcome children at 12.25pm and close at 12.35pm
  • Doors open for home time at 3.15pm and close at 3.25pm

We have 60 places in Pre-school, with a maximum of 39 children in the setting at any one time. Your child is able to start and will be offered a place to join us the term after they turn 3 years old depending on availability and spaces. They will move to Reception in the September before they turn 5, however, they will not automatically get a place and you will need to officially apply through Stockton Council. Historically all our Pre-school children who apply have been awarded a place in our Reception.

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

In our Pre-school you will find happy, secure children, playing, exploring, experimenting, socialising, discovering, learning and smiling.
“The EYFS is about how children learn, as well as what they learn. Children need opportunities to develop their own play and independent exploration. This is enjoyable and motivating. They also need adults to ‘scaffold’ their learning by giving them just enough help to achieve something they could not do independently.” Development Matters July 2021
Our Pre-school has been carefully designed to meet the needs of our children, with each area set up to enable maximum learning opportunities. We enhance and adapt our classroom provision based on children’s interests. We continually work with your child and observe them to ensure we can meet their needs. We use these observations and interests that your child may have, or any information that you may provide us, to ensure that the activities and resources we offer enable all the children to reach their full potential and learn in a child-centred environment.
In Pre-school we focus primarily on the prime areas of learning – Communication and Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development. These aspects are weaved into all areas of the Pre-school day. At Whinstone we also spend time developing early reading and maths with your child, in full class groups, small groups and one to one.
We also understand that you are your child’s most important educator and that a strong relationship between home and school is so important at this age.
We use a fantastic app called Evidence Me where school can share photos and information about what has been going on at school, and you can also send photos of events, experiences and learning from home.

WHAT TO WEAR

Uniform is not compulsory in Pre-school. If you would like your child to wear uniform we recommend just the school jumper or cardigan. Children need to be comfortable and able to use the toilet quickly and easily. We highly recommend tracksuit bottoms or leggings.
Our outdoor learning environment is an extension of our indoor provision and children are allowed outside at all times – where there is mud, water, bikes and climbing! Shoes that are suitable for outdoors are also recommended.
We like the phrase: ‘There is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing!’ A warm coat is essential and could we also request that your child bring in a pair of clearly named wellies and waterproof trousers/all in one, that can be left in school