General
What age can my child attend Pre-School?
2 years 6 months is the youngest your child can start. We recommend you come and visit and send an application in when your child is around 6 months old to secure your place.
What is a typical day at your setting?
Morning sessions
Afternoon sessions
Before-school care
Afterschool care (Mon–Thu)
Enrichment activities (example schedule)
We try to rotate Cooking and PE every term. Woodwork is offered to children aged 3 and over. The voluntary Forest School and music charges cover the fees of the outside providers we contract with; cooking ingredients and woodwork resources are covered by our voluntary £7.80 monthly consumables contribution. These charges are optional — if you would like to talk to us about them, please do.
How many children attend the Pre-School and what is the staff:child ratio?
We can have up to 13 children attend in one session. The ratio for children over 3 years old is 1 adult to 8 children and for 2-year-olds the ratio is 1 adult to 5 children.
When and what should my child be achieving?
Each child is unique and different, and all will learn at different paces. A good guide on early development is What to expect in the early years foundation stage: a guide for parents (PDF).
What curriculum do you follow?
We use Development Matters (PDF, Department for Education).
Can I join the committee or attend the termly meetings?
Yes, we actively encourage parents to join the committee or come along to general meetings. The AGM is held every October.
Will coming to Pre-School help me get into Great Tew School?
Oxfordshire County Council manage the school application process centrally, we are unable to influence their decisions. OCC consider catchment, if there are siblings in the school already and the distance you live from the school.
When will my child start reception class?
Children transition into reception in the September after their 4th birthday.
When and how do I apply for my child to go to school?
Applications usually open in early November and close in mid-January. You apply through Oxfordshire County Council’s reception applications page.
How will my child settle into Pre-School?
We encourage children to come and look around at the initial setting visit. Once we receive an application, we will be in touch the term before to arrange a home visit and talk about their first session. The first session is very relaxed, and we can go through any outstanding paperwork with the manager/key person. Parents can stay for an initial period (usually 30 minutes) then depending on the child we may suggest leaving them for an hour to see how they get on or it may be that they stay for the whole session if they are happy to do so. If they struggle or become upset the setting will call you.
Does my child have to be out of nappies?
No, we can change children at the setting, we just ask you supply nappies and wet wipes. We work with you and understand some children may take a little longer than others to use the toilet. When they are ready, we will take your lead and encourage them with using the potty or toilet whilst at Pre-School.
How will I pay for the sessions?
We use the Famly app to manage our setting and invoicing.
- Invoices: You will receive a notification via Famly when your monthly invoice is ready to view.
- Payment: We prefer parents to pay directly through the Famly app for ease and security.
- Tax-Free Childcare: We also accept payments via the government Tax-Free Childcare scheme. These will be credited to your account within Famly once received.
Funded hours will always be listed clearly on your invoice as free of charge (£0.00).
Costs and support
Are there fees for attending?
Yes, for any hours not covered by government funding, our session rates (effective September 2026) are:
Children aged 2.5 to 3
Children aged 3 & 4
Before-school care
Afterschool care (Mon–Thu only)
Funded hours are provided completely free of charge. You will only be invoiced for non-funded hours and optional voluntary contributions (such as the £7.80 monthly consumables charge or specialist activity charges).
Do you offer funded 2-, 3- and 4-year-old places?
Yes. We accept all statutory government funding for eligible families:
- 2-Year-Olds: We accept both the “Working Parent Entitlement” and the “Funded 2s” support (once the child reaches our admission age of 2.5 years).
- 3 & 4-Year-Olds: We accept the Universal 15 hours (available to everyone) and the Extended 30 hours (for eligible working parents).
When will my child be able to get the free 15hrs funding?
Government funding generally starts the term after your child reaches the eligible age:
- Turn 2 or 3 by 31st August: Funding starts in September (Autumn Term).
- Turn 2 or 3 by 31st December: Funding starts in January (Spring Term).
- Turn 2 or 3 by 31st March: Funding starts in April (Summer Term).
The setting will provide you with all the necessary forms and information to claim your entitlement before the term begins.
Do you offer 30hrs?
We are eligible to accept 30-hour funding codes; however, due to the small size of our setting and to ensure fair access for local families, we cap our funded offer at 18 hours per week per child.
If you are eligible for the full 30 hours, you can:
- Split your funding: Claim up to 18 hours with us and use the remaining hours at another provider.
- Additional paid sessions: Use 18 funded hours with us and pay for additional sessions at our standard rate.
Ofsted
Can I see the latest Ofsted report?
Yes: Great Tew Preschool Ofsted Report (PDF).
When was the last Ofsted Inspection?
Our last inspection was on the 29th November 2021.
How often will Ofsted visit?
How often Ofsted visit depends on the outcome of our last inspection. They aim to inspect within six years of the previous inspection.
How can I contact Ofsted?
Email: Enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 4666
