Information for families in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The Lantern Preschool

The Lantern Preschool is part of The Lantern Church, Merley and we meet in the Old Village Hall in Canford Magna which has been updated and modernised in recent years. More recently we have been developing a fantastic outside play area which includes a playhouse and tyre swing as well as a vegetable plot. We welcome you and your child to share in the experience of belonging to a preschool and look forward to working in partnership with you to help your child develop in a loving and stimulating environment. We exist for the benefit of families with children from two years to school age and aim to provide a place where the children are safe and secure and loved and where children can learn to take part in activities away from home in an atmosphere of Christian love, are stimulated and allowed to develop their full potential and are prepared for the changes in their lives that school life will bring.
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Venue/Contact Details
Address
The Old Village Hall
The Old Village Hall
Canford Magna
Wimborne
Dorset
Postcode
BH21 3AE
Directions
See Journey Planner on right-hand side of this page, where you can view bus, car, and train routes from your location.
Details
Childcare type
Pre-School Playgroup
Provision type
  • Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises
Overall limit on childcare numbers
20
Eligible to take 2, 3 & 4 year old entitlement
Yes
Facilities
  • Baby Changing Facilities
  • Accessible Toilet
  • Car Parking
  • Outdoor Play Area / Garden
  • Refreshments / Snacks
  • Visits and Outings
  • Wheelchair Accessible
Times and Costs
Opening times:
Monday 09:00-15:30, Tuesday 09:00-12:30, Wednesday 09:00-15:30, Thursday 09:00-15:30, Friday 09:00-15:30
Availability
  • All Year Round
  • School Term Time Only
Other Costs:
Cost for 2 Year Old - £7.25 per hour Cost for 2 Year Old 3 hour session - £21.75 Cost for lunch club for 2 year old - £3.63 Cost for 2 Year Old full day 6.5 hours - £47.13 Cost for 3/4 Year Old - £5.10 per hour Cost for 3 Year Old 3 hour session - £15.30 Cost for lunch club for 3 year old - £2.55 Cost for 3/4 Year Old full day 6.5 hours - £33.15 Voluntary contribution for snacks 50p per session.
Ages, Booking Details and Referral Information
Ages:
From 2 years to 4 years
Referral route:
  • Self Referral
Referral process:
  • Email or phone the setting.
Vacancies and School Pick Ups / Drop Offs
Immediate vacancies
Yes
Vacancy information
As at 20/05/2024 Mon 0 x am 2 x pm Tues 2 x am Weds 0 x am 2 x pm Thurs 2 x am 4 x pm Fri 2 x am 4 x pm
Number of vacancies
20
Quality
Ofsted URN
Last Inspection Judgement
Good
Last Inspection Date
24/01/2022
Religious and Additional Needs Provision
Additional needs supported:
  • Behaviour, Emotional & Social Difficulty
  • Global Development Delay
  • Medical Condition, including Allergies
  • Moderate Learning Difficulty
  • Speech, Language & Communication Needs
  • Toileting & Hygiene
Languages spoken
  • English
Religious / cultural provision:
Christian
Special dietary provision
Lactose free, vegetarian, gluten free, wheat free
SEND Local Offer SEND
Description:

How do you communicate with the parent / carer whose child has SEND?

We are a small setting and always allow time for parents to speak to key workers or deputy/manager at drop off and pick up. We use Tapestry online learning journal to communicate with parents to show activities that their child has been doing. At least every term you child has a ‘Focus Week’ where in depth observations take place. This is also recorded on Tapestry and followed up with an in person or telephone consultation. We encourage parents to contribute information and photos on Tapestry to help with a two-way communication with the setting.

How do you help children settle into your setting?

Once a child has begun to settle into the setting, they will be allocated a ‘key person’. This is someone that the child has made a connection with and will be the main point of contact for parents. Our settling in procedure is lead by the parents and child and we work with both to adopt the best process to enable the child to settle as quickly and happily as possible. We have a setting SENCO who oversees the children and helps the key workers at the setting.

What help and support does your setting offer to children with SEND as they move rooms or move on to school?

We are a small setting so children are not split into different rooms, all ages mix together. We have very positive relationships with the local school and communicate regularly with the SENCO at the school. All information and documents relating to children with SEND are transferred early to the school to enable to school to prepare and discuss with us. Transfer documents, all SEND documentation and the child’s Tapestry account are sent to the school.

How do you find out how each child likes to learn?

All children at the setting have their progress tracked in line with the EYFS. We regularly discuss with parents as to children’s likes and interests. The ‘Focus Week’ gives an opportunity to plan specific activities around the child’s likes and interests to help with tracking and children’s next steps in development. As a setting we focus on the whole child particularly the three main areas of personal social and emotional, communication and language and physical development.

Inclusive practice / SEND training and expertise within this organisation

At the setting the manager is qualified as an Early Years Professional and the whole team are qualified to level 3. We have two members of staff that have completed their SEND training and currently have a team member completing the Elklan speech and language training.

The information in this SEND Local Offer was completed on 05/05/2021

Policies
Are your staff DBS Approved?
Yes
Do you have a First Aid Policy?
Yes
Do you have Public Liability Insurance?
Yes
Recognised as:
  • 2 Year Old Early Education Provider
  • 30 Hours Free Childcare Provider
  • Tax Free Childcare Provider
  • 3 and 4 Year Old Early Education Provider