"We are so happy and comforted to have chosen Barnabas nursery for our son. Deborah and her team go above and beyond in their approach to caring and nurturing the children in their care, in a way we have never seen before in other childcare settings we have come across. The staff at Barnabas are so caring and go down to each child's level to play their games and enjoy their company, establishing trust and rapport and enabling the children to prosper and grow as individuals. Our son absolutely loves nursery and always comes home beaming with stories to tell and new ideas to share. We believe he is growing up to become a very happy and engaged child thanks to Barnabas." (Sarah-Jane Miller, parent)
Barnabas Preschool has achieved Outstanding in all areas from Ofsted
in September 2023.
We offer:
in September 2023.
We offer:
- Highly qualified, friendly and experienced staff with many years of working together
- High adult to child ratio
- Flexible hours to suit parent's needs
- Active learning through play tailored to suit each child's personal development journey
- Outings throughout the term into Woodbridge and further afield – Barnabas is part of the local community
- Many visitors sharing their skills, cultures, interests, jobs, music and more.
- Network of supportive and friendly parents
- Central town centre location
- Large outdoor area of grass and astroturf.
- Modern and welcoming venue
Staffing and Ratios
Barnabas is a small group with an average of twenty children attending per session. The highly qualified staff provide a high adult-to-child ratio. Using their professional and personal experience, they enhance children’s learning and development opportunities through play in a homely and fun environment.
The setting provides individual learning and development experiences for each child within the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Members of Staff:
Parental Partnership
Partnership with parents and carers is a priority at Barnabas. Staff understand the importance of building friendly and professional relationships with children, parents and carers to ensure that the pre-school experience is supportive for the whole family. Parents are welcomed at sessions, outings and special events as noted in our most recent Outstanding Ofsted report.
Barnabas is a small group with an average of twenty children attending per session. The highly qualified staff provide a high adult-to-child ratio. Using their professional and personal experience, they enhance children’s learning and development opportunities through play in a homely and fun environment.
The setting provides individual learning and development experiences for each child within the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Members of Staff:
- Deborah Branch, Owner/Manager, BA (Hons) Early Learning, Safeguarding and Behaviour Management Officer, SENCO (joined 2001)
Deborah really enjoys planning outings and visits, especially in the local community, to provide new experiences for the children. - Teresa Jay, Deputy and Early Years Educator, City and Guild National Vocational Qualification - Children's Care Learning and Development (joined 2022)
Teresa loves sensory play, story-telling and gardening with children. - Lucy Oxlade, Deputy and Early Years Practitioner, NCFE/CACHE Diploma for the Early Years Workforce, SENCO (joined 2022)
Lucy enjoys role-playing and reading to the children as well as messy play. - Claire Kember, Assistant, BA (Hons) English & History, Post Graduate Certificate of Education English with History (joined 2013) Claire loves music, drama and introducing children to the wonder of the natural world.
- Charlie Waller, Assistant, BA Education and Sociology, Qualified Teacher Status (joined 2021)
Charlie loves story-telling, imaginative role-play, being outside and all arts and crafts. - Helen Krailing, Trainee Early Years Practitioner (joined 2022) BSc (Hons) Real Estate Management, Helen enjoys construction, maths and science and incorporating these into imaginative play.
- Felicity East, Early Years Educator, Cache Level 3 Childcare and Education (joined 2023)
Felicity loves getting children involved in baking and all types of messy play. - Alison Spouncer, Early Years Educator, B.A. (Hons) Early Childhood Studies
Alison loves reading with the children, outdoor games and helping children discover and enjoy nature. - Judith Mackenzie, Administrative Officer, ‘Tapestry,’ Social Media and Website Administrator, Diploma in Leadership for the children and young people's workforce - Early Years, (joined 2012)
Parental Partnership
Partnership with parents and carers is a priority at Barnabas. Staff understand the importance of building friendly and professional relationships with children, parents and carers to ensure that the pre-school experience is supportive for the whole family. Parents are welcomed at sessions, outings and special events as noted in our most recent Outstanding Ofsted report.
