Uplyme Pre-School Aims

We aim to provide a safe, welcoming and happy environment in which children can develop their full potential whilst learning through play.  We believe the best way to do this is:-

• To recognise each child's individual rate of development and to plan a curriculum accordingly.

• To fully involve parents within the group.

• To maintain a high ratio of adults to children.

Our Manager is Annie Thurgood 01297 24318 - uplymepreschool@aol.com

How to Apply

If you would like your child to attend Uplyme Pre-School please contact the administrator Annie Thurgood as soon as possible as places are limited.

We try to accommodate preferences usually offering 2 sessions a week initially.

Requests for additional sessions should be made to the administrator at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment and to allow the group to plan the best use of resources.

Premises

We meet at Uplyme Village Hall which was opened in 1994 and offers bright, warm, clean accommodation.

Unfortunately, as it is a facility used by the whole community, all our equipment has to be stowed away at the end of every session.

However, we have our own special storage areas (including our own sink for washing paint pots!) and the children have immediate access to a toilet at any time although there are several more available if needed.

There is a small grassed area that is securely fenced so the children can be outside in fine weather.
 

We also have use of the terrace, the K&V playing field and a children's play area for whole group activities. The hall has a disabled toilet and easy access.

Venue, Dates and Times

The group currently meets in the Uplyme Village Hall from 9:00am until 12:00 am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

On Thursday mornings in the Summer term, we meet at Mrs Ethelston's School, Uplyme from 8:50am until 11:50am.

Term dates correspond to Mrs Ethelston's School.

Links to Mrs. E's

The village hall is utilised by Mrs Ethelston's School on Thursdays, so we hold our session in the school's Reception Class. However, it is only open to funded 4 year olds.

This arrangement serves to underline the strong links the Pre-School has had with the School over many years and also acts as a valuable introduction for the children to school life, whilst recognising the special need of 4 year olds.

We work closely with the School on curriculum matters to ensure that Topics/Themes are used efficiently and that there is no conflict in methods and expectations.

Unfortunately, your child's attendance on Thursday mornings does not guarantee them a place at Mrs Ethelston's Primary School, therefore we do advise you to apply as early as possible to the Primary School of your choice.

Visit our preschool website here

Fees

Our fees are currently £3.60/hr), paid termly in advance, until LEA funding is received the term after the child's 3rd birthday. This funding covers a maximum of 5 half day sessions and is claimed directly by the Pre-school.

If your child attends more sessions (ie. going to more than one provider) you will be expected to pay the equivalent of the LEA grant per session. Please remember that Thursday morning are still Pre­school sessions despite being held on school premises and that funding will be claimed or a bill tendered.
 

We now offer a lunch club on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:00 - 1.30 at a cost of £4.50 or you can use some of your government funding for this.

We offer a 50% discount to parents with 2 or more children attending the group. In these cases fees will be reduced to £3.25 for the second and subsequent children until the eldest child receives LEA funding.

Unfortunately if a child is ill the fees still have to be paid as our running costs remain the same. If you experience any difficulty with fees please speak, in confidence to the Administrator, who will be happy to help sort out the problem.

Management

The Pre-School's overall management is undertaken by an annually elected committee, made up mainly of parents, who act together as the policy makers and the employers of all the staff. This is in line with the group's constitution (see copy in policy file at Pre-School), which was adopted by our group at an Annual General Meeting.

The committee is:

Chair                Mrs. Charlotte Matthews
Secretary          Mrs. Gilly Clark
Treasurer          Mr. Neil Pullinger

The day to day management of the Pre-School is conducted by Annie Thurgood. Every session has a Playleader, an Assistant, a Regular Helper and someone from the Parent Rota.

All paid staff are registered with Ofsted and are obliged to undergo Police and Health checks as part of the requirements of the Children Act.