Welcome to our Pre School -
Opening September 2026
Please watch this Sway about our fantastic Pre School - Click link here
Headteacher Welcome
We are delighted to welcome you to our school and are especially excited to have opened our Preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. We firmly believe that the early years of a child’s life are the most important, laying the foundations for future learning, wellbeing, and success.
Research consistently shows that the first five years are a crucial time in a child’s development, shaping their health, happiness, and lifelong love of learning. Our dedicated Early Years team are highly skilled and passionate about what they do, and they feel privileged to support children at this important stage of their journey.
Our school has a strong and valued reputation within the community, and we are proud to play such a significant role in the lives of our children and families. In the past, many of our pupils have joined us from a range of preschools across the city. We are now thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome children even earlier, allowing us to build relationships sooner and make an even greater difference to their development.
We look forward to working in partnership with you and your child as they begin their journey with us.
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
How many places are available?
Preschool offers 13 full time places made up of children attending 15 or 30 hours each week.
When can my child start?
From the beginning of the term following their third birthday.
When can my child attend?
Learning builds sequentially for young children. To optimise this the session options offered are:
- 30 hours: Monday - Friday: 8:40am - 3:25pm
- 15 hours: Monday & Tuesday 8:40am - 3:25pm and Wednesday 8:40am - 11:40am
- 15 hours: Wednesday 12:25pm - 3:25pm, Thursday & Friday 8:30am - 3:15pm
We can be flexible to meet children’s needs to help families, please contact school about this.
What if my child needs additional childcare outside of the school day?
We are looking at opportunities for breakfast club and after school club. This will not originally be available in September 2026 – we are going to review this through parental need.
How many weeks a year can my child attend?
Preschool runs in term time in line with the whole school calendar, taking school holidays and INSET days with the rest of the school.
Can I use my Free Childcare Hours?
Yes. All children aged 3-4 years are entitled to 15 hours free childcare; many are now entitled to 30 free hours which can be used for Preschool.
My child is not eligible for 30 hours free childcare but we’d like them to attend full time – is this an option?
Yes. Parents not eligible for 30 hours can choose to fund an additional 15 hours - this is charged at a competitive rate (there are no fees during school holidays).
Are there any costs in addition to the free childcare hours?
Please click here to see additional costs for the Nursery
Can I use tax-free childcare to pay for any extras?
Yes. Parents who are eligible for tax-free childcare can use this to pay for Breakfast and After School Clubs and lunch cover.
How do I apply?
Please complete an application form that is here or can be collected from the Office.
The deadline for applications for the academic year 2026-27 is Friday 26th June
Places will be allocated by Friday 3rd July
What is the Admissions Policy?
Admissions Policy for Pre School can be found on the school website
What are the benefits for my Preschool child?
- A Preschool education led by an experienced, qualified teacher and supported by a team of highly skilled teaching assistants.
- A smooth transition into full time schooling (Reception) for your child by becoming familiar with the staff, learning environment and routines of school.
- We currently take children from a large number of nurseries and Preschools. We find that many Reception children spend a considerable amount of time in the Autumn term developing skills which would have eased this transition into school; by enabling children into school earlier we will be able to ensure that these children are ‘ready for school’ in terms of their social and emotional skills as well as their academic abilities. Less time in Reception will be spent on teaching independence and basic skills, enabling more time to be spent on developing the skills of reading, writing and maths, therefore raising standards overall by the end of the Foundation Stage.
- For families with other school age children, preschool sessions will match our school day and also enable those with children at the junior school to drop off in time.
- The yearly whole school calendar will link directly to the preschool dates meaning siblings are in school and on holiday at the same time.
Please contact school for any further information about Preschool via enquiries@bradfielddungworth.sheffield.sch.uk
