Our Aims and Ethos

At Crescent Under Fives, we strive to have a pre-school that our children and families love to come to, by building a strong feeling of community within our Crescent Family.

We value our children as unique individual little people and we aim to nurture their development and education in a safe, rich and stimulating environment, so that they learn through play.

We will support our children to discover their potential and flourish as individuals, enabling them to move confidently into their next stage of their learning journey.

We will always aim to provide, affordable and reliable childcare, operating with high staff to child ratios by experienced and qualified staff.

We try to continually improve to be the best we can.

Our Crescent Family 

• To build strong bonds with our families and community
• We aim to maintain open and honest communications with our parents and carers.
• To have respect and value all of our Crescent family.
• Ensure equality and opportunities for all children and families, so that everyone one feels included, supported and respected.

Our Crescent Children 

• We recognise that all children are unique individuals who develop at different rates.
• We aim to meet the emotional and social needs of our children by helping them to self-regulate, whilst taking into account the ages and stages of development of each child, providing appropriate challenges where necessary.
• Meet the intellectual and physical needs of our children by offering stimulating play.
• Provide many experiences and opportunities for children’s knowledge, understanding and skills to be challenged, expanded and increased.
• Allow children to learn with enjoyment and through play.
• Assess each child’s development stage to ensure that they are making progress, and that any difficulties are identified and addressed.
• Assist each child in reaching their full potential by following their interests and needs, and providing them with experiences that are familiar with as well as introducing them to new experiences and concepts.
• Extend their understanding and critical thinking, by building on what they already know and can do.
• To provide each child fun and friendship with other children and adults.
• Opportunities for children to learn respect and value for all people.
• To provide the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for the next stage of their learning journey.
• Provide a balanced curriculum based on the Early Years foundation stage Framework, with support from Birth to 5 matters.
• Have an enabling environment where all children are valued and build positive relationships with others and become independent, confident learners.

 About Crescent Under Fives 

Crescent Under 5s was founded by parents in 1970 in a house in Hamilton Road and the following year moved to the Reading Activities Centre where it grew from a small group to a thriving registered pre-school.

In 1991 we moved to a self-contained building within the grounds of Alfred Sutton Primary School, with whom we enjoy a close and beneficial relationship, whilst remaining an independent organisation.  

We are non-profit making, and are a registered charity run by a Committee and a group of dedicated staff and volunteers.

OFSTED

Working in Partnership With Families

As a charity, this pre-school is managed by a group of volunteers made up of people from the families of the children that attend the pre-school.  This approach ensures that the service we offer is one that our community want. 

As we are listed as not only a charity, but a Company Limited by Gurantee, you automatically become a member of our Committee when your child joins us. We hold meetings every term and an Annual General Meeting once a year, at which people are elected to the key roles of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. There are also other roles such as fundraising and equal opportunities where you can get involved.

You are welcome to come to all open meetings and we would love you to support us with our fundraising wherever possible.

Back to top

Help with enquirys 

If you need additional help with enquirys regarding translation, we have access to the translation app Hi Translate for spoken enquiries in person. 

If you need help translating written text, we suggest using google translate/google lens.