Setting up a new pre-school, where to start?

[AnonyMouse_13789]

Hi all

My school is going to set up a pre-school within the next 2 years. We are currently developing plans for it and looking at other schools that have done the same.

I will be in charge of the pre-school and have never managed anything like this before and would not know where to start. I currently manage a 3 form entry EYFS but when it comes to the nuts and bolts of running a pre-school, I need to know where to begin!

Can anyone point me in the right direction for reading material, courses, anything?

 

Thanks

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Hi have you looked on the PSLA site, it may have some items that maybe useful.

Does your LA advisors have anything either, or Ofsteds website.

Good luck sounds very exciting.

[Guest]

Hi there!

I set up our private nursery and wraparound provision in 2007.

 

At that time we already had maintained nursery provision, so adding afternoons to it was relatively easily because the building and resources were there!

It was a steep learning curve as a whole though because way back then I had no one to turn to to help with the paperwork which was ALL separate to that of maintained nursery!

However legislation changed in September 2008 and the private nursery provision became part of the school and was then inspected as part of the school.

 

It's my understanding that currently the government are looking to get rid of lots of red tape re setting up preschools and make it easier to do! Possibly then over the next year or so this will become clearer.

 

I would send out a survey/ questionnaire to parents to see if there's interest and what hours they would like.

We added breakfast club and Afterschool club with staff who have nursery experience because for many parents school nursery hours do not help with work patterns. We have flexibility over sessions and full days.

 

For your peace of mind I would be visiting preschools and gathering ideas of what you do and don't like!

 

Nursery is very different to reception. . . . From this September we are also taking rising threes- those who will be three in the term they start.

 

All of that said the nursery provision has evolved over time (nothing is ever totally right when you first start out) and from this September the nursery provision will all be "private" because numbers fell and it wasnt financially viable to keep the maintained sessions open. I am lucky that I can be running these sessions as I now have an early years BA and my EYPS and I have a passion for early years.

 

It isn't an easy task though!

 

The other thing to look at is how it's set up and how it will be run. Ours is run by the governors.

 

Good luck with it. I can't point you at anything to read except the OFSTED guidelines on what you need etc but speak to your LA early years advisor they will have business advisors to help with setting up etc.

[AnonyMouse_13789]

Thanks for your comments.