~ About our Pre-School ~
Our timetable and routines
We believe that care and education are equally important in the experience which we offer children. The routines and activities that make up the day are provided in ways that:
- help each child to feel that she/he is a valued member of the pre-school
- ensure the safety of each child
- help children to gain from the social experience of being part of a group
- provide children with opportunities to learn and help them to value learning
To see an example of our daily routine click here
Learning through play
Play helps young children to learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. We use the Early Years Foundation Stage to plan and provide a range of play activities which help children to make progress in each of the areas of learning and development. In some of these activities children decide how they will use the activity and, in others, an adult takes the lead in helping the children to take part in the activity.
The Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of six areas of learning and development:
- Personal, Social ad Emotional Development
- Communication, Language and Literacy
- Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
- Knowledge and Understanding of the World
- Physical Development
- Creative Development
To read more about The Early Years Foundation Stage, visit the government Early Years Foundation Stage Website.
Our sessions
We organise our sessions so that the children can choose from a range of activities.The children are also helped and encouraged to take part in adult-led small and large group activities which introduce them to new experiences and help them to gain new skills, as well as helping them to learn to work with others.
Outdoor activities contribute to children's health, their physical development and their knowledge of the world around them. The children have the opportunity, and are encouraged, to take part in outdoor child-chosen and adult-led activities, as well as those provided in the indoor playroom.
During the session we take account of children's changing energy levels and caters for children's individual needs for rest and quiet activities.
The learning journey
We keep a record of achievement for each child. Staff and parents working together on their children's records of achievement is one of the ways in which the key person and parents work in partnership.
We assess how our children are learning and developing by observing them frequently, using photographs or videos of the children to document their progress.We believe that parents know their children best and we ask them to contribute to the assessment by sharing information about what their children like to do at home and how they as parents are supporting development.Your child's record of achievement helps us to celebrate together her/his achievements and to work together to provide what your child needs for her/his well-being and to make progress.