Guidance on Care and Learning
Each day is structured around the children’s care needs. Lunch, play and sleep punctuate each day giving opportunities for learning experiences. Having order to the day gives a sense of time, place and meaningful purpose for each child. Daily repetition reassures children giving familiarity with the nursery environment and putting children at ease. This enables children to form friendships with peers and engage in learning. Learning happens through opportunities arising from both; children’s own choice of play, and; activities that are adult-led. Children are given appropriate encouragement to take part in and choose from varied activities. Activities are predominantly led by children’s interests and carers meet together weekly to discuss interests and plan. The nursery is well resourced with an experienced and well qualified staff group. And further supported through; ongoing training; external and internal teacher input; NDNA membership; childcare networks and the inspection process.
The nursery practices free flow where children have freedom to move between all areas and choose an activity. This both develops their independence and enables best learning potential. By giving children the ability to choose, play is prolonged with greater engagement by them. This gives best opportunities for the staff team to extend learning in a fun and meaningful way.
Social skills and British values are taught by way of example with staff acting as role models working uniformly. This is evident in all practices at the nursery.
Through a caring and well resourced learning environment each child is able to flourish. Integral to this is the skill of the staff team and nursery ethos which respects each child as an individual and values children’s efforts, interests and purposes.
Information about the focus for learning is given on the Notice Boards. We sometimes ask parents for help with activities or for resources such as photos. We also ask parents about each child’s interests at home. The notice boards give information about each day at the nursery. Each child has a record of development which we share with you.