In our 33 place baby unit we offer full day care for 9 months – 2/2½ year olds in bright well-equipped rooms which are especially designed for babies and toddlers aged between 9 months and 2½ years old. The bright and well-equipped playrooms offer a wide range of fun, messy and sensory activities.

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Throughout the week the babies participate in a variety of activities, including sand and water play, play dough and clay, finger painting, dancing, singing, music, gym, storytelling, junk modelling, cooking, circle games, floor and table toys. Each child has their own ‘Learning Journey’ scrapbook with lots of photos and artwork recording their time in the Baby Rooms. Throughout the year, different themes are introduced, e.g. Baby Animals, All About Me, The Seaside, Colours and Farm Animals.

 

All rooms have direct access into their own safe and secure gardens with soft surfaces and fun equipment. We have three four-seater stroller buggies and try to ensure all the babies go out for daily walks where possible and weather permitting.

The 2/2½-3½  year olds have bright airy classrooms, filled with an abundance of equipment, leading onto our roof garden with a covered sandpit and adventure area. Our magical faraway tree is a very special place, accessed by a grassy bridge and we enjoy listening to stories under the leafy canopy.

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The Nursery School provides an exciting environment for the children to have fun, make friends and enjoy learning through play. The children can play in a well-equipped house with a kitchen and sitting area with stairs leading up to a sleeping area for the dolls and teddies. A play shop has a till with play money and the children can buy and sell play food, fruit and veg. There is a wardrobe full to the brim with hats, bags and dressing up clothes. Our book corner has lots of books to cuddle up with and read stories.

The children can access a large range of educational toys appropriate to their age including puzzles, small world, construction, dolls house, garage and cars. There is a painting and messy play area. Children learn to tidy up and work in small groups. They have circle time, singing and music, dancing and lots of physical activities. Children have their meals round the tables in small groups and we encourage table manners and make this a social occasion.

All children in the Nursery School and Pre-School are supported in developing their own potential at their own pace. Our teachers oversee a planned curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child. By means of developmentally appropriate play activities and a high level of individual adult input, we offer a curriculum which enables children to progress towards the Early Learning Goals throughout the Foundation Stage and prepares them for the National Curriculum and ‘Big School’.

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We follow the Jolly Phonic writing and reading system. This encourages the children to learn and recognise letters, sounds and blending letters to form words. The children start off by taking flash cards home to practice on and then progress on the Ladybird reading scheme. This encourages the children to learn the most used one hundred words in the English language. We ask parents to read with your child for at least five minutes every night. This will reinforce the work we do at the Nursery and you will be amazed how quickly they start to read!  We will also focus on number work and lots of practical activities with the emphasis on learning through co-operative play.

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Once a week, the older nursery children, bring a packed lunch as part of pre-school preparations. These sessions are more work based and include a simple reading scheme.

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The highlight of the pre-schooler's year is the Graduation Ceremony and their very own show, they even have mini graduation gowns and hats!