Introduction

Little Pippins Pre-School , set in an idyllic orchard in Harwell village, has been running since 1970. The qualified, caring and enthusiastic staff provide a stimulating and varied programme of play for children from the age of two and a half. Run by a committee of parents, it has close links with Harwell School and is a member of the Oxfordshire Early Years Development Partnership and the Pre-School Learning Alliance, accredited in May 2003. In accordance with the Children's Act 1989 Little Pippins is registered with Oxfordshire County Council Social Services Department; our Registration No. is WH/W/234/SC93. The Registration Certificate is displayed on the notice board in the hallway of our premises. Little Pippins can receive 22 children aged from two and a half to five years old for sessional or full day care. Younger children must be accompanied by a parent/carer until the half-term in which their third birthday falls. All our staff and regular voluntary helpers have been screened by the Criminal Records Bureau.

The Pre-school is OFSTED regulated and voluntarily run by a Management Committee of parents who are elected at an Annual General Meeting. It is both the staff and the committee’s responsibility to ensure that the OFSTED 14 National Standards and Guidelines are both understood and followed.The setting will be inspected every three years by the OFSTED Directorate to evaluate the quality of daycare and educational provision for children in receipt of the Nursery Education Grant and their progression towards the Early Learning Goals. A copy of the latest reports are displayed on our notice board. We follow the Birth-to-Three Matters Framework for under 3's and adhere to the Foundation Stage Curriculum, including the use of the Oxfordshire Profiles for 3-5 year olds.