Preschool near Buckingham returns home completing recovery from suspected arson attack

Staff from Tingewick Preschool, alongside members of the local community, have worked tirelessly to reopen its site after an arson attack in 2021.

Individuals broke into the neighbouring Roundwood Primary School and started a fire inside the preschool site.

Staff and the children attending the preschool used nearby Gawcott Village Hall as a temporary base.

In the meantime staff had to work tirelessly to raise the funds needed to repair the preschool building following a blaze which required five fire engines to suppress it.

Money was raised from charity grants. Also, the school did receive some financial support from Bucks Council.

Staff at the school have also shown their appreciation for parents and businesses who raised funds to help rebuild the school, with special mention being given to Tingewick Community Care for its generous support.

Tingewick Preschool was formed in 1971 and moved to the now reopened building in 2023.

Claire Groves, chair of Tingewick Preschool said: “It was a [challenge] being away from the school where most of the children in the preschool go on to the village primary school. That aspect of it was very difficult for everybody.

"The staff have been fantastic though, three members of the staff actually live in Tingewick, so they’re now able to walk to school. Whereas everyone had to drive before.”

Other challenges involved arranging meetings with parents whilst the building was out-of action. Plus, there were restrictions on how much staff could transform the temporary village building, considering it was also used for other purposes.

The site has been safe to use for a few months, and the preschool relaunched ‘play and stay’ sessions for children. But, only now can the site officially reopen after it was granted permission by Ofsted.

Claire added: “It was lovely on Monday (4 November) to say ‘this is it we’re going’. The staff were all very relieved. When we moved to the site we’re on in 2003, we had Councillor Robin Stuchbury to cut the tape, and he came back and did it again in April. That was really nice.”