Our Prospectus

Welcome to Catkins Pre-school. We have been operating since 1991, offering quality child care and early education by providing a range of experiences in a safe, secure and friendly environment. We believe in enhancing each child's individual skills and encouraging social integration by learning through play. This is achieved through a variety of balanced, stimulating activities and experiences appropriate to their current stage of development.

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We aim to work within a framework which ensures equality of opportunity for all children and one which values diversity. 

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We aim to provide your child with the necessary skills to enable them to adjust to formal education.

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What we will offer your child:

• Care, based on the Statutory Framework of The Revised Early Years Foundation Stage

• A tailored curriculum to meet the needs of each individual child

• Individual care and attention made possible by high adult to child ratios per session

• The support of a designated member of staff in the form of a 'key-worker'

• A secure and welcoming place where children can learn as they play both in and out of doors

• Opportunities for you and your family to be directly involved in the activities of the group and in your own child's individual progress.

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Catkins Pre-school is a privately run preschool. We accept the universal entitlement of 15 hours per child for children over 3 years old and we also accept the working parent entitlement for children aged 2 and above. Each funded child is eligible for either 15 or 30 hours per week for 38 weeks a year,

Our daily times are as follows:

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8.45am-3.30pm

Tuesday and Friday 8.45am-3.00pm

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We also open the setting to allow parents to collect their children at either 11.45am or 12,30pm if they wish them to complete a half day. Children should bring their own lunchbox if they are going to stay for lunch which runs from 11.45-12.30. Please note this is a nut free setting and items containing nuts are not accepted.

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From January, we offer rising fives sessions on a Monday and Wednesday afternoon. These sessions ready the children for their continued educational journey into school and focus on building on and extending their skills in the seven areas of learning. These sessions are predominately for those children heading to school in September but are also open to the younger children should you want them to join us.

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We are open for 38 weeks per year on a termly basis. We are closed on any UK Public Holiday and also have to close the setting on election days as Tunbury Hall is used as a polling station. 

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Catkins Pre-school is located in Tunbury Hall, Catkin Close off of Tunbury Avenue in the Walderslade Woods area of Chatham. The premises has its own car park and has wheelchair access, disabled facilities as well as male and female toilets. The sessions are held in the large hall area, messy play is hosted in a small side room, the kitchen for cooking activities and there is a secure outside play area.

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We are inspected by Ofsted and our latest inspection report is available upon request or you may access it at any time via: www.ofsted.gov.uk . We are approved to deliver the Free Nursery Education places for 3 and 4 year olds and we abide by the KCC's Code of Practice. Brochures explaining entitlements are available upon request. We also provide Free Early Education (FEE) subject to availability, t&c's apply.

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As part of the requirements of the EYFS, we share the planning information about your child with other settings and childminders.

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