Nursery
Welcome to Little Owls and Little Chicks
We'd like to extend a warm welcome to you from our happy and friendly nursery. We welcome children from the age of 2 into Little Chicks, and they transition to Little Owls, when they're three or four, for preschool. The early years are fundamental in terms of child development, and we use a research-based approach to ensure that we're doing everything we can to ensure the future success of every child. Our very youngest children are all taught to Dream, Believe and Achieve. Staff model how to Be Positive, Be Kind and Respectful and Be Proud and encourage the children to be the same as they learn and grow.
We focus on communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development, as these are the building blocks for lifelong success. Our nursery is very child-centred. The children learn in a playful and nurturing way with highly skilled staff motivating them to take risks and have a go. We monitor early communication and develop children's language skills. We provide support for personal, social and emotional development through our well-developed key person system. Having a key person helps the transition between home to nursery. Our amazing and huge early years garden provides plenty of opportunities for gross motor development and children are encouraged to spend their time learning outdoors. Fine motor skills are developed through well-planned play and activities.
Our well-qualified and well-trained staff set up invitations to play across the nursery rooms and outside in the garden. Role-play areas like a home corner, a shop, a cafe or a superhero lair are always popular with the children. There is always sensory play with sand, water, bubbles, foam, natural materials, recycled paper or goop to develop curiosity as well as fine motor control. Playdough, salt dough or clay make lovely invitations, and we add herbs, spices and scents to provoke interest, as well as rolling pins, cutters and decorations. Make making takes place on tables, at easels, on fences and on huge rolls of paper on the floor. There are small world toys, building blocks, trains and tracks, cars, dolls and babies. We have wheeled toys, sports equipment, climbing and obstacle courses outside, as well as areas for digging, gardening and hiding. When they're not playing, children spend time in their key person groups having a snack, learning new skills and knowledge and making friends. We offer milk, water and fruit at snack time.
Children learn a wide range of knowledge and skills during their time in nursery. Our planning is based around tried-and-tested picture books, which capture their imagination and develop literacy skills. Role-play is used to develop their understanding of story and rhyme. We teach pre-phonic skills and knowledge through Bug Club and mathematics skills and knowledge through our mastery approach and children are able to apply their skills through play. Our wide and varied curriculum supports children in understanding the world. They learn to represent their thoughts and feelings through expressive arts and design. We support them in making links between their learning to help them to make sense of new knowledge and to remember it.
Some children need extra support during their time in nursery because they have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). If staff have any concerns, they will speak to parents and carers to explain them. Parents are involved in any referrals to professionals such as speech and language or community paediatrics. If parents and carers have concerns, they should speak to the child's key person and the SENCo Mrs Harris.
Early Birds: 7.30 - 8.45 a.m. Lots of the nursery staff work in Early Birds.
Morning Nursery: 8.45 - 11.45 a.m. (3 hours) Invitations to play indoors and outdoors, activities in key person groups, stories and songs and snack time.
Lunch Club: 11.45 a.m. - 12.15 p.m. Little Chicks stay in their room and Little Owls go to the hall.
Afternoon Nursery: 12.15 - 3.15 p.m. (3 hours) Invitations to play indoors and outdoors, activities in key person groups, stories and songs and snack time.
Night Owls: 3.15 – 5.30 p.m. Lots of the nursery staff work in Night Owls.
Click Here to access helpful guides to:
ERIC Guide TOILET TRAINING SUPPORT
Tiny Happy People CBeebies PARENT SUPPORT COMMUNITY
Hungry Little Minds Staffordshire USEFUL UPDATES
Must Read Books for 0-5 Year Olds BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Speech and Language Therapy STOKE SPEAKS OUT
