New Studio Pre-School (NSPS) has been established for over 50 years and is a highly regarded educational asset in the local community. It is proud to have achieved “Outstanding” by OFSTED in June 2010. It provides pre-school facilities for children age range 2 to 5 years, and is committed to providing affordable, quality care to children in the local community and values parents as equal partners in their children’s learning. The Pre-School is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and National Day Nurseries Association, and is a registered charity (No.1017489). NSPS supports children with special educational needs and children with English as an additional language.
The school is registered for 24 children and currently has 36 children on roll. The premises consist of two playrooms, a hallway and a large outdoor garden which is the main feature of the setting. It is a large green space with many opportunities to explore and investigate the natural environment and for an inner-city setting is unique. The Pre-School believes in a ‘learning through play’ approach and provides a range of daily activities to encourage children’s creativity, curiosity and co-ordination, all within the early year’s curriculum. New Studio rents the building and land from the local Methodist Church (and has done for 50 years), and they are fully supporting the idea of a Forest School. Jackie Baldry is the Manager and has ultimate responsibility for the school. There is a great wealth of experience within the staff team and this alongside their professional development enables them to deliver high quality care and education for the children.
The current staff team have been operating since January 2016, before that there was only one change in 10 years. Four of the staff have been parents at New Studio, which shows a great level of commitment to the school and its ethos.
We are running this campaign because we feel it presents with an exciting opportunity to enrich our children's lives through a Forest Schools Scheme.