Long established village pre-school, Ladybirds, will now be run by The Salvation Army Church.
The pre-school, which looks after children aged between two and four years old, has been run from the Salvation Army building on Impington Lane for around 40 years, and this change means that the church will now also be responsible for its day-to-day management.
Firm foundations
The Ladybird pre-school currently has an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’, has 24 children on its roll and opens for three mornings a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Under the new management, it is planned to extend this to four mornings a week.
Previously, Ladybirds has been run by a management committee of parents and staff – providing education through play, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) – and, since the closure of Stepping Stones and Squirrels, is one of few such settings in the village. After what the church leaders describe as a challenging 18 months for Ladybirds, it is hoped the new link with the Salvation Army will provide the support and backing that comes from being part of a larger organisation.
Community support
Majors Rob and Georgina Symons took over Histon Salvation Army in 2018. On the church’s link-up with Ladybirds, Rob said: “Our mission is to support communities in meaningful and practical ways and early years education is such a crucial foundation for a child’s development.
“The pre-school already had an extremely good reputation. We look forward to building on its existing strengths and ensuring it continues to thrive.”
Georgina, who is already on the pre-school management committee, added that the move “felt like an obvious transition”, continuing, “it feels like a God-given gift to our church. It’s a joy being able to spend time in the setting.
“There is a need for early years settings in our area, and this is a great opportunity to invest in our community, and for the preschool to be part of something bigger, where there is holistic support available for the family.
“Rather than just being a group who hire our building, they are very much integral to our ‘service to others without discrimination’ that is part of our mission as a church. Caring for, nurturing and supporting our Ladybirds families is a practical outpouring of our mandate to love God and love others.”
Sarah Stonham, joint leader of the pre-school said: “We are excited about this new chapter and are dedicated to maintaining and enhancing these facilities which parents and carers have come to trust. Our setting allows us to get to know families really well and we look forward to working hand in hand with them to make a lasting impact on young lives.”
For more information on The Ladybird Pre-school email Sarah.Stonham@salvationarmy.org.uk or call 07786 752949.
