Osmotherley Pre-school & Out Of School Club

Osmotherley Pre-school is an inclusive, award-winning setting located in the picturesque village of Osmotherley in North Yorkshire. We have an established reputation for providing high-quality early years education and are proud of our commitment to fostering a nurturing and stimulating environment for children aged 2-5 years. We operate during term-time only and are open from 9.00am to 12.00pm on Mondays and Fridays, and from 9.00am to 3.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Additionally, we offer a breakfast club from 8.00am for pre-school children and Osmotherley Primary School pupils, ensuring a smooth transition for those moving on to primary education.

Our setting is conveniently situated next to Osmotherley School, allowing for a strong link between the two institutions and a natural progression for children as they move into full-time education. Our close-knit relationship with the school means that we share the same values and objectives, with the safety and well-being of children being our top priority. As stated in our 2014 Ofsted report, "The safety and well-being of the children are paramount within the setting as staff place them at the heart of everything they do."

Our Services

We offer daily sessions (9.00am-12.00pm) for children aged between 2-5 years, with costs set at 10.50 per session or 3 per hour. Funding is available for those who are eligible. Lunch clubs are also available, running until 1.00pm on selected days, with children bringing their own packed lunches.

Our facilities include indoor and outdoor play areas, a wide range of toys, cooking equipment, books, songs and rhymes, a quiet area, visits and outings, dressing up, and sand and water play. We are committed to providing a diverse and engaging curriculum that promotes learning through play, exploration, and discovery.

Addressing Mental Health and Well-being

At Osmotherley Pre-school, we recognise the importance of addressing mental health issues and promoting well-being in the early years. We have integrated yoga poses and mindfulness moments into our sessions, which offer numerous benefits for children, including:

• Enhancing physical flexibility
• Refining balance and co-ordination
• Developing focus and concentration
• Boosting self-esteem and confidence
• Strengthening the mind-body connection

These activities help children recognise and understand their feelings and emotions, develop their vocabulary for expressing emotions, and learn techniques for managing anxiety and stress.

Social and Emotional Development

We provide activities that foster social and emotional development, helping children recognise and manage their emotions, develop empathy and understanding for others, and learn how to form positive relationships. Our activities include:

• Encouraging children to use a mirror to observe their facial expressions
• Introducing appropriate words and phrases to describe feelings and emotions
• Asking children how they are feeling, followed by how their body is feeling
• Playing sensory games, such as putting soft feathers or smooth pebbles in a feely box, or introducing different smells and tastes whilst blindfolded
• Practicing breathing exercises, such as breathing slowly or quickly, and breathing out colours to represent different emotions
• Listening to calming music with their eyes closed
• Watching windmills as they turn in the breeze or blowing the sails round smaller handheld ones