Our Setting
Our Pre-School is based in the centre of Widecombe-in-the -Moor, in Church House, which is an historic National Trust community building. Therefore, we are a pack-away setting.
Downstairs we have large open plan space perfect for encouraging gross motor and core strength skills. In this space, we rotate the toys and activities we have on offer, including the tuff tray, painting easel, indoor water tray, trikes, ride on tractors and much more. Upstairs is a quieter area where we promote personal, social and emotional development. We regularly rotate our home corner, role play activities and small world play. We have a craft table, mark making table, book corner, music basket along with a variety of other tactile activities. The choosing cupboard is changed once every half-term and the children have access to farm toys, a dolls house, babies, train track, blocks, and much much more! We also use this area for our snack, lunch time and cooking activities.
We are very lucky to have volunteers who come in weekly to run sessions in Yoga and Dalcroze.
Church House
Sensory Garden
Outside our setting is both a lawned area where we play when the weather is fine and our own dedicated Pre-School garden.
We have a hobbit house, a sensory garden, digging pit, sand pit, mud kitchen and raised garden beds where we grow our own seasonal flowers, fruit and vegetables. When the sheep and snails have been kind we even get to enjoy these for our snack!
In the Summer months we try to spend as much of our time outside as possible when the weather permits.
Just a short walk from Church House is our Outdoor Classroom. The Classroom is used for Wednesday sessions throughout the year.
This wonderful setting offers space for the children to discover nature within a safe and dedicated area. We have a campfire which we cook our snack on and the children are encouraged to contribute ideas about what this might be - and these have included s'mores, popcorn, sausages, pancakes and quesadillas. The children are provided the opportunity to explore their environment and allow their imaginations to run wild. We do at times provide structured activities in this space which is aimed at developing new skills and enhancing their understanding of the natural world; these have included butterfly spotting, tree shaking, tataki-zome, weaving, blackberry foraging and many others.
Outdoor Classroom
What our families say about the Setting:
"We love the rural location of the Preschool and how this easily allows for walks, puddle splashing and exploring outside to be incorporated into every day at Preschool."