Nursery
Our Nursery provides a happy, safe and stimulating environment, where our children thrive and learn, supported by adults who understand and care for them.
Timings (Monday – Friday)
Morning session: 8.30am – 11.30am
Extended morning (includes lunch): 8.30am – 1.30pm
Afternoon session: 1.30pm - 4.00pm
Full day: 8.30am – 4.00pm
Daily Routine Example
Our daily routine provides a balance between child-initiated and adult-directed activities. Through observation and interaction with each child and talking to the parents, we build a picture of the child’s abilities and interests, allowing us to plan for the next steps in their learning.
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From 8.00am
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Early Breakfast Service
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8.30am
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Beginning of the day, register, calendar
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9.00am
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Child initiated activities – the children choose an activity and the adults support them and extend learning opportunities by sensitive interaction and questioning
Morning snack
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10.30am
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Outdoor Play
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11.00am
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Music
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12.00pm
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Tidy up time, story, songs and discussion
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12.30pm
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Lunch – children and staff together in the hall
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Outdoor Play
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2.00pm
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Child initiated activities including small group and 1:1 activities
Afternoon snack
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Story
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4.00pm
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End of day
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4.00 – 6.00pm
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Late Service
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Specialist teachers deliver French, Music and Forest School lessons in order to sow the seeds of interest at an early stage.
Early Years Foundation Stage
The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) is the statutory framework for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five.
The EYFS identifies seven areas of learning: Communication and Language; Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design. We plan a range of stimulating and fun activities to cover all areas of learning through topics which follow the children’s interests and the continuous provision we offer. We also carefully plan the environment, both indoors and outdoors to enable the children to become confident, happy, independent learners with inquiring minds.
Indoor Environment
Our Nursery classrooms are bright and welcoming with displays celebrating the children’s work and achievements. The three rooms; Messy room, Puzzle room and Construction room are set out in different areas, for role play, mark making, cosy book corner reading, creative work, construction, sand and water play. We have a wide range of stimulating resources which we encourage the children to access independently.
Outdoor Environment
Our Nursery classrooms are situated on the ground floor, with direct access to our outdoor area and garden, allowing us to take full advantage of our rural location. Many children enjoy learning outside and we provide a range of opportunities and activities for the children to explore and develop key skills in the Early Years curriculum. We also make great use of the wonderful grounds of the Prep school to enhance the children’s learning including going on nature walks to observe the changes in the seasons and visiting the schools woodland.
Key person
The staff in Squirrel class work closely together to ensure that all of the children are cared for and supported according to their individual needs. As class teacher I oversee the children's learning and development, this is supported by observations taken by staff members. Using the key person approach within the setting, staff are able to focus on smaller groups of children throughout the day and support me in planning for their next steps more effectively. All staff play a role in your child's progress and development. Assessments are recorded on Tapestry, an online learning journal, and parents can also post to provide an overall picture of your child's learning journey.
Joining Nursery Class
To make the transition from home to school a positive experience, we have a parent and child group in the Nursery on Friday afternoons. The informal ‘stay and play’ session allows children and parents to get to know the Nursery Teacher and the setting in a relaxed way. Once registered for a Nursery place, the children visit for a session in the half term before they join us. We encourage parents to share with us as much information as possible about their child before they start with us and we continue to involve parents as partners in their child’s education.
Free Early Years Education
Your child is eligible for Free Early Education from the term after their third birthday. All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 15 hours free early education a week. This can be taken as 5 mornings of 3 hour sessions or 3 mornings of 5 hour sessions or 2 full days. You are not obliged to take up the full entitlement. The school office will send you information about this when you enrol your child. We will then process the application on your behalf. We need to take a photocopy of your child’s passport or birth certificate, so that we have evidence of their date of birth. You will be asked to complete an update sheet at the end of each term for the following term. Please note that if for any reason you choose to increase your child’s sessions after the term has started, the additional sessions will not be eligible for free during that term. We also participate in the 30 hours free funding and, again, information about this will also be sent to you. This funding is means tested and applications need to be completed by parents via the HMRC website. If you are not entitled to this, you will still be eligible for the 15 hours free early education.
Transition to Reception
Transition to Reception class is a natural progression for the children. Throughout the year Nursery and Reception classes often join together, for example to share resources in the outdoor area or to perform the Nativity play at Christmas. The children get to know the Teacher and the classroom well before they move confidently into Reception in September.