We are delighted to be welcoming our first preschool age children to Donhead
All children will enjoy a fantastic Early Years experience where our expert staff team will help them to develop independence and learn key communication skills. Specialist teaching and involvement in whole school initiatives, such as our Poetry Recital and sporting competitions, enhances the experiences of the children ensuring they are school-ready by the time they move on to Reception.
We know choosing a school for your child is a huge decision and believe that words are no substitute for seeing for yourself what we have to offer. If you haven’t already had the chance to visit us then please do, you can then experience firsthand the warm and welcoming atmosphere we strive for daily. Simply tick the tour option at the bottom of our enquiry form and our Registrar will contact you to set this up.
If you are interested in a place for your child or would like to find out more please complete the enquiry form below
Frequently Asked Questions
Children join the Preschool each September following the child’s third birthday (3+). Children will spend a maximum of three terms in the pre-school before moving into Reception.
All children registered for the Preschool will be invited to attend a taster session or have a nursery / home visit before starting at Donhead.
The Preschool morning session starts at 8.30am and finishes at 11.30am when lunchtime begins. The end of the afternoon session for Preschool is 3pm.
Wrap-around care is available in the Preschool Mondays to Thursdays from 7.30am to 6.00pm and 7:30am- 4pm on Fridays.
The Preschool is located within the bespoke EYFS area next to the Reception classrooms with a dedicated outdoor learning area.
Prices per term
Five Mornings: 8:30am-11:30am. This includes a snack, no lunch - £2800
Each afternoon: 11:30am- 3pm (2:45pm on Fridays). This includes a snack and lunch - £365
Mornings and Afternoons: This includes a snack and lunch) - £4625
All children are provided with a morning snack. Those children staying for lunch will be provided with a hot meal.
Our Preschool provision is based on a progressive curriculum where learning is built upon each day and, for this reason, we offer a minimum of 5 morning sessions.
Our attendance offering is:
· Monday - Friday (5 days per week, whole day attendance)
· Monday - Friday (5 mornings per week, half-day attendance)
· Monday - Friday (5 mornings per week, half-day attendance plus selected afternoons with a term’s notice)
From the term before Reception, attendance is compulsory on Monday to Friday (5 mornings per week, half day attendance plus a minimum of 2 afternoons) to ensure the pupils are ‘Reception Ready’.
There will be a preschool teacher and an assistant in each class both experienced members of staff. The statutory guidelines on staff: pupil ratios are always met.
The uniform will be comfortable for the children to wear while enjoying all activities and the clothes are easy to layer through the seasons.
Our Preschool does not have nappy-changing facilities. Whilst we do understand that young children may have occasional accidents, we do expect that children joining us are out of nappies, dry during the day, and able to use toilet facilities independently.
Children joining the Preschool transition to our Reception class in September after their 4th birthday and we guarantee them a place.
