The pre-school is for 2 – 4 year olds.  Please enquire if you are unsure: info@thearkliphook.co.uk.

Our basic hours of operation are 9:00am – 3:45pm, Monday to Friday.

Early session 8.15am – 9am Monday to Friday

This will be for 38 weeks a year which will largely mirror the Hampshire County Council school calendar. A detailed calendar for the academic year can be found here.

Yes. We offer funded sessions for eligible 2-year olds.  We also offer funded sessions for all 3 and 4 year olds as they are entitled to 15 hours a week.

Many working parents of 3 and 4 year children will be eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare and we provide sessions for this as well.  Childcare vouchers can be used for all sessions.  Please see the section on Funding for more details.

We do offer unfunded sessions. Please see the Funding page for more information.

No, children staying for lunch need to bring a healthy packed lunch.

The Ark Pre-School is an independent charity established to operate a pre-school with a Christian ethos from the Church Centre in Liphook.

Our inception was a church parish initiated response to a known lack of funded pre-school places in the local area. Our Trustees are drawn from the congregations of St Mary’s in Bramshott and the Church Centre in Liphook. We work hand in hand with Bramshott and Liphook PCC to fulfil the initial vision of a first class pre-school serving the local community with a core Christian ethos.

We welcome children and families of all backgrounds. Religion will play no part in the admission process.

It is, however, important to understand that a Christian ethos is core to the founding of the nursery and will play a guiding role in its ongoing operation.

The Trustees are aware that that the Ark will be caring for very young children and that the majority attending will not be coming from a practising Christian background.  The Christian ethos of the nursery is therefore categorically not intended to evangelise those who attend.

It will instead be demonstrated through helping to instil in each child simple core messages: that they are uniquely and wonderfully made and as a result are loved and valued beyond measure.

It is envisaged that this will be achieved through an age appropriate combination of:

• celebrating major Christian festivals (Christmas, Easter)
• bible stories
• short periods of prayer, reflection and song.

We adhere to all legal requirements set by the EYFS in terms of ratios. We have a highly qualified and experienced staff team and in practice, for much of the time we are able to offer a more generous adult to child ratio than is statutory. 

We are currently taking registrations. Click here for an Application Form 

Our days in The Ark vary but we are following the Early Years Foundation curriculum prescribed by the government.  This aims to support children to move on to their next steps of learning and prepare children for Reception when they join their first school.  The curriculum is varied and imaginative, involving carefully-crafted play times, learning sessions and of course outdoor play in our brilliant, purpose-built playground.

We enrich our curriculum with dancing and physical activities in our hall, walks in the local area, regular cooking sessions and visits to the library. We also have exciting visits from circus skills performers, fireman and sometimes the dentist. If you have any questions about how our day runs. Please see a member of staff or send us an email.

We can receive visitors at The Ark during most of our sessions.  Please email info@thearkliphook.co.uk or call 07775 394230 to make an appointment; we will be delighted to show you what The Ark can offer your child.