Preschool

Gateway Preschool gives children aged two to four years, and their parents, the best possible introduction to education and school - far more than just nursery childcare. Our experienced and caring team, including a qualified teacher, use carefully planned activities to create a nurturing, stimulating and playful environment, fostering independence and creativity in our young learners.

We have our own purpose-built home on the school site, but also get to make use of its other facilities like the tennis courts, fields and gym. The children also love exploring their own garden, woodland area and mud kitchen, as well as eating chef-cooked food from the school's real kitchen!

During term-time our before- and after-school wraparound care allows your child to be safely looked after between the hours of 8am and 6pm, and starting in September 2020 we are offering year-round provision so children can come into Preschool during the school holidays as well as term-time.

Read our latest news to gain an insight into life in Preschool.

Daily Routine

The daily routine for children in Preschool includes a wide range of structured and free choice activities; Montessori sensorial, cultural, maths and language activities; outdoor play on the school’s tennis court, in the garden or on our adventure playground; and group time with stories and songs.

Following the seven prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, teaching topics are led by the children’s interests. Phonics is introduced using the Read Write Inc. programme, whilst activities such as pegging, threading and model building all help to develop fine motor skills for pre-school writing.

Specialist Teaching

Children in Preschool benefit from specialist teaching in French and Music. They are also able to enjoy specialist Yoga and Gym sessions and use the school's IT facilities and iPads to develop and support their learning.

Afternoon Activities

Each afternoon in Preschool has its own flavour and may be based on a weekly book such as Stick Man by Julia Donaldson:

Muddy Mondays
Preschool love to get outside and learn, we might take a walk on the farm next door or build a den, all while learning about our environment and the animals and plants that grow locally. Our aim is to provide sessions which are fun, educational and health-promoting.
Chit Chat Tuesdays
After reading the weekly book we promote communication and language through talking about the book, expressing our preferences. We chat while carrying out practical activities related to the story.
Whoopee Wednesdays
Art projects are enjoyed and the children are encouraged to get really creative. We really enjoy cooking sessions. Cultural festivals might be explored or a visitor might pop in. Sometimes we organise a trip to the Great Missenden library or take a train ride.
Top Court Thursdays
The children enjoy an active afternoon on the tennis courts. They are encouraged to join in with a variety of games and use a wide range of equipment to develop their gross motor skills.
Fun Fridays
This session gives the children time to explore their interests and make their own decisions, regarding their learning. They can focus on what has interested them most throughout the week. This helps the children engage in their early years education in a fun, meaningful way.

Visit Us

Click here to learn about the range of ways in which you can visit us, including attendance at our fun and engaging Fun Friday events for parents and their Preschool age children.