About Our Provision
Here at Findon Valley Free Church Preschool we have a Christian ethos and take pride in providing a high quality care and early education provision for children aged 18 months - 4 years. We are open for 38 weeks per year for two daily sessions of 8.30am-12pm/12pm-3.30pm. You can choose whether you would like your child to attend the morning or afternoon sessions (or both) to make arrangements that are convenient for you.
The term after your child’s third birthday they are eligible for government funded childcare of up to 15 hours per week. This means your child could have up to five sessions COMPLETELY FREE at FVFC Pre-school per week during term time. This also applies to some 2 year olds – you will be made aware if your child is eligible for this. Any additional sessions are chargeable from £19.00 per session.
Our provision is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage which lays out the guidelines for children’s learning, development and welfare in England. Each child has their own learning journal throughout their time here. This shows progress through observation, assessment and planning.
We have policies and procedures in place which are available as a booklet and here on the website, which also contains up to date information about staff, current projects and a gallery of photos. We have staff who share a wealth of knowledge and experience in childcare and education. We all take a similar approach to our work with young children – start with love, and everything else will follow.
We like to involve parents with their child’s learning as much as possible and have termly progress reviews. We have a Facebook page with information about the preschool. There is also a separate, private group for parents where we share photographs of children and the activities we have done each session.
We love to utilise nature and the great outdoors. Being right at the foot of Cissbury Ring gives us a fantastic opportunity for regular nature walks in fields and forests. The children learn to respect and look after God’s world, the people and the creatures that live in it. You can read our most recent Ofsted report here.
MEET OUR TEAM
BECKY
Manager
“I am Becky the new manager who joined the established team at FVFC Preschool in April 2022. I am SENCO level 3 trained and qualified and have an Early Years Degree and a wealth of experience working with children.
I am a caring and considerate individual and have spent the last 20 years working with children in a variety of age ranges. I am a firm believer in encouraging children’s development through play opportunities and creative learning. I am the SENCO and Designated Safeguarding Lead at our Preschool and am a qualified Paediatric First aider.
I have a ten year old son and I love to spend time with him and having adventures.”
KATIE
Deputy Manager
Katie has a BA Hons degree in Early Childhood Development. She has worked in Early Years settings for the past 17 years and has a wealth of experience. She has a strong interest in supporting children with SEND and has completed a variety of specialised courses. She believes in supporting children's development through play and also loves to take learning outside and has led forest school sessions in the past.
Katie is also SENCO level 3 trained and qualified.
Katie has three teenage children and loves spending time with them, her husband and their three dogs, Poppy, Rosie and Daisy.
CARRIE
Early Years Practitioner
Carrie has a level 3 qualification and has many years experience working with children. She has a kind and caring nature towards the children and has a keen interest in working with SEND children.
Carrie enjoys spending time with her family and walking her dogs.
ANNE
Early Years Practitioner
Anne is our preschool assistant. She has supported many children who have attended FVFC preschool and continues to faithfully support children’s learning from the moment they step through the door.
Anne is always right in the thick of it with the children, joining in their conversations and engaging those who are a little shy to join in with their peers.
DANII
Level 2 Apprentice
I have two children aged 3 and 5 that have both attended Pre-School here.
I love spending time with my family and watching movies. I also have two kittens and Guinea pig.
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum is both structured and fun with the child's needs and interests considered throughout. We focus on independence and encourage positive social behaviours as well as preparing them for school. We are inclusive of all cultures and traditions.
Here at FVFC Pre-School we have highly trained staff, experienced and qualified in using:-
Makaton visuals
PECS
Colourful semantics
Lego therapy
Sensory therapy
Speech and language support
Gallery
This gallery of photos are just examples of some of the setup and resources we have here. Regular photographs are posted on our social media sites if you’d like to see more! As you can see, as well as creating an open-plan layout in the church hall, we also access the outdoors regularly. We enjoy nature walks on Cissbury Ring, bubbles and shaving foam in the garden and plenty of play involving dinosaurs 🙂
Join Us!
When deciding on the best place for your child to attend, it’s good to have a look round a few places before you make a decision. We welcome you to come and virtually visit our preschool! You can engage in a 360 tour on the gallery page or view the YouTube video above/opposite.
Call us on 07872 386160 or email FVFCpreschoolmanager@gmail.com to have a chat about what you’re looking for. Your child can join us at any time of the year as long as they have turned two years old.
To come and visit our preschool during operating hours, please book an appointment via this link: https://www.appointfix.com/Findon-Valley-free-Church-Preschool
We are open Monday-Friday 8.30am–3.30pm. We open during term time only.
During our week at Pre-School we visit many local attractions, such as the Downs, the library and of course, the church. The minister, Rev Allie Moore, also comes and reads to the children each week.
Each year we also spend time learning about and hatching our own chicks.
If you are interested in booking a place for your child, please email FVFCpreschoolmanager@gmail.com for a chat about your requirements, or fill in this application form. We will be in contact with you as soon as we can.
Social Media Links
We are on social media! We have a Facebook page which is public and gives regular information and updates about the preschool. Like our page to find out upcoming events and any recent changes.
We also have a private Facebook group for existing families only and we use this to provide updates to parents/carers about what children have been doing each day, including photographs and videos. We are also on Twitter and Instagram!
FVFC Preschool Families
Term Dates
Our opening times currently are Monday – Friday 8.30am – 3.30pm, term time only. This enables us to provide up to 30 hours of funded entitlement per week. All children are eligible for 15 free hours from the term after their 3rd birthday.
You may also be available for funding from 9 months, check the link for details - https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/
The current and upcoming term dates are as follows:
Autumn Term 2025
Starts: Wednesday 3rd September
Half term: 27th October - 31st October
Ends: Friday 19th December - 12pm
Spring Term 2026
Starts: Monday 5th January
Half term: 16th - 20th February
Ends: Friday 27th March - 12pm
Summer Term 2026
Starts: Monday 13th April
Half term: 25th - 29th May
Ends: Friday 10th July - 12pm
Autumn Term 2026 (TBC)
Starts: Tuesday 1st September
Half term: 26th October - 30th October
Ends: Friday 18th December - 12pm
Policies and Procedures
We appreciate that you already have so much to read, so these documents are provided as a reference point for any queries you might have about the way we operate the preschool, rather than asking you to read them all at once. Each document is available here to download in PDF format. They are also available in printed format in the preschool.
