Hatchell Wood Preschool Reopens in Kirk Sandall After 32 Years, Expanding Places and Community Services

Hatchell Wood Preschool has been a pillar of the local community in Cantley for the last 32 years, opening its doors in 1993. It is a Charity run setting that previously operated on the premises of a school that is now opening their own nursery provision as part of the government recent initiative to open 300 school-based nurseries and has ceased their lease. After finding a derelict building in Kirk Sandall, they have been working tirelessly to get everything prepared to open in September in their new neighbourhood.

Hatchell Wood Pre-School hopes to offer even more to the community, including breakfast and after school clubs. It also has plans to hire out its future secondary hall to ‘Little Movers – Doncaster’ for classes supporting children with additional needs, as well as making space available for food banks, sit and knit, adult education, childminder groups and charity events. Even a community growing garden.

The move to Kirk Sandall will allow the Pre-school to increase their capacity from 24 to 38 places, helping to bridge the local sufficiency gap for children aged 0 to 5 years old, starting with ages 2-5 in September 2025.
Recognised as providing ‘good’ early education and care by Ofsted and beloved by generations of families, Hatchell Wood Pre-school has always provided a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for young children. With your support, it can continue to be a force for good in Doncaster.

This year has been incredibly hard on charities and it has been extremely difficult to get help with funding. However, they feel privileged to have met and worked alongside some great local businesses and individuals in the community. Doncaster College students have done an amazing job with plastering and joinery work and have plans for more collaborations in future. Caroline Barratt of ‘Little Movers’, and her family have been incredible at helping with many aspects of the move.  ‘Treo Recruitment’, based a stone’s throw away in Kirk Sandall have been a wonderful support; both themselves and in connecting them with others who have helped. ‘PGS’, who are a veteran owned and operated company locally. An introduction by ‘Strata homes’ to ‘ONM joinery’ of Cantley who have completed fantastic work in the new setting. ‘Hookway restoration’ did a beautiful job of restoring the original wood floors. They have hopes of collaborating with many in the community during their time in Kirk Sandall, as they did in Cantley previously for over 3 decades.

A special thank you to the wonderful people at ‘Crown paint’ for giving so much to get the setting looking bright and fresh. Also to ‘Wickes’ Doncaster for their product donation and to Cllr David Nevett for his support of the project.

Hatchell Wood Preschool are opening their doors for parents to pop in, call or email from 1^st September and can’t wait to meet all of you and your little ones! They are currently a term time setting with scope for breakfast and after school clubs.

They are also hoping to put on a community fundraising event as soon as possible, so watch this space!