Parent Area
Stay up to date with the latest news, information and resources for your child.Upcoming Events and Key dates
September
Term 1 Begins – welcome visits 7th
Parent Meeting
Committee meeting
October
Term 2 ends
Useful websites and links
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/advice-for-families/pants-underwear-rule/
https://eric.org.uk/potty-training/
https://eric.org.uk/learning-bottom-wiping-a-step-by-step-guide/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people
https://life.southglos.gov.uk/kb5/southglos/directory/family.page?familychannel=0
Term Dates September 2025 – July 2026 (38 weeks)
Please note that the pre-school term dates are not exactly the same as school terms.
Term 1
7 week term
Starts Monday 7 September 2026
Ends Friday 23 October 2026
Welcome visits Monday 7th September 2026
INSET PM – Friday 23rd October 2026
Term 2
7 week term
Starts Monday 2 November 2026
Ends Friday 18 December 2026
INSET PM – Friday 18th December 2026
Term 3
6 week term
Starts Monday 4 January 2027
Ends Friday 12 February 2027
Welcome visit 4th January 2027
Term 4
5 week term
Starts Monday 22 February 2027
Ends Thursday 25 March 2027
SET PM – Thursday 25th March 2027
Term 5
7 week term
Starts Monday 12 April 2027
Ends Friday 28 May 2027
Welcome visit 12th April 2027
Term 6
6 week term
Starts Monday 7 June 2027
Ends Friday 16 July 2027
INSET ~PM – Friday 16th July 2027
Committee
Committee meetings are held once a term (6 per year) on Wednesday evenings, 8pm. In addition we hold an AGM, when a committee is elected annually. All parents and carers are invited to come along and get involved.
Fundraising
Fundraising help’s to provide children with different experiences update and replace resources.
The fundraising team is a group of parents who organise and support the activities. They also help to apply for grants for specific projects.
Ring, email or come to a committee meeting to find out more or get involved.
One of the other ways that we can raise funds for pre-school is through ‘matched giving’ schemes. Do you work for a company that offers matched giving as a staff benefit? It normally means that if the employee helps out at one of the fundraising events then their employer will double the funds that is raised.
See committee page for activities and information.
Annual Reports
Our annual report reviews our achievements over the past year, sets out our financial position and includes reports from our committee members. It also includes a short summary of our business plan for the coming year.
Copies of our annual reports are available on the pre-school notice board or on Companies House .
Ofsted reports
First Step pre-school is regulated by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. Ofsted carries out regular inspections of all early years settings and childcare providers, and publishes inspection reports which tell you how effective the provider is, what they do well and recommendations for further improvements.
We were was last inspected in December 2021, and Ofsted rated our pre-school provision as good, the second highest grade, in all areas.
Policies
Our pre-school policies help us to make sure that the service we provide is of a very high standard. Staff and parents/carers work together to create our policies, and they are reviewed regularly to ensure that we keep up to date with new legislation and guidance, and early years best practice.
Signed copies of all our policies are available at pre-school, and policies can also be downloaded here.
Registered office:
First Step Pre-School,
Knapp Rd,
Thornbury, BS35 2HQ
Call us: 01454 867283 (9 am - 3.15 pm)
Pre-school mobile (for use in pre-school hours): 07718 798826
Email us: crossways@firststeppreschool.co.uk
First Step Pre-School Ltd is registered in England
Registered Number 5885935
Registered Charity Number 1142554