We have four rooms – Ducklings, Cygnets, Robins and Blackbirds. The age range in each room is flexible as we like to let children progress through the rooms at their own pace as and when they are ready.

Prior to changing rooms, children will visit the next room to experience the day there. We have always found that this helps the children to settle well into each new room as they become familiar with the new routine and members of staff, ensuring a smooth transition.

We have a key worker system in place. The key worker attends to the personal needs of each child in their care and helps to ensure the smooth transition to the next room. Each room offers a progression of activities to ensure the continuing development of each child to the best of his or her abilities.

Ducklings

Our first room for our youngest children – birth to approx. 2 years. The ratios in this room are 1 staff member to 3 children.

The main focus at this age is on creating a loving and caring environment where all the children’s needs are met. Sara, the room leader stresses that it is important to build a close relationship with the children “we can never be a substitute for mum, but mums do like to know that we develop a bond with each child”. Each child is cared for individually and we aim to follow their routines – we listen to parents and get to know the children so that we can tailor their feeding, sleeping and activities. As the children get older they start the early stages of crafts and painting and we encourage them to explore and experience their environment. We follow their developmental needs – such as learning to walk – and grow their independence through introducing things like hand washing and feeding themselves. The older children are outside every day and we like to give them every opportunity explore their senses.

Cygnets

This is our second room for children from 2 – 3 years. The ratios in this room are 1 staff member to 4 children.

This room is all about expanding boundaries and as you would imagine it is a busy room with lots going on!. There are always creative activities happening and every morning we will be doing things like painting or collage, all based around a theme. The themes are child led and are based on anything from an item that a child has brought in to seasonal events. We do lots of baking, singing and music making, with physical activities every afternoon. The room activities are all play based but they are also designed to help the children gain confidence and independence. We begin to introduce them to learning colours, shapes and numbers and they start to recognise their own names in writing. They’ll also learn to use a knife and fork and drinking from a cup and toilet training. The children spend time outside every day and in the summer have free access from the room to the playground.

Robins

This is our third/fourth room for children from 3 – 4 years. The ratios in this room are 1 staff member to 8 children.

In Robins the children start to grow up a little in that they begin to gain in confidence and independence – they start to put on their own coats and go to the toilet independently. The activities in the room are still very much play based but the children will do basic early work on numbers and letters so that they are prepared for the next stage when they move up to Blackbirds. We are very adaptable to the children’s interests and all the activities are based around them – we do lots of art, music, and dancing and the children have access to creative and role play resources. The children will spend time outside every day and use the big playing field where they can run, climb, swing and explore.

Blackbirds

This is our third/fourth room for children from 4 – 5 years. The ratios in this room are 1 staff member to 8 children.

Blackbirds is the room where children begin pre-educational work in preparation for school. They are still learning through play but we introduce a bit more structure and let them experience more formal work. For example Blackbird room has a lending library where you can borrow a book for shared reading. We also use lots of outdoor natural items to help the children learn their day to day mathematics. Through their play, they will also develop socially – learning how to be friends, how to share and about acceptable behaviour. All these things give the children a head start when they do move on to school. Children at this age start to form groups of friends, and might even see them outside nursery. They love working and playing together and have free access to play resources along with a computer, other ICT equipment and role play. The room has a home corner where the children can get absorbed in the small world toys - pirate ships, kitchens, castles, farms.

50th Anniversary Open Day - Sat 27th April 2013 10:00 am til 14:00pm

Come along and enjoy a day of fun and celebration at our open day

• Peppa Pig is making an appearance
• We have face painting
• Local police show off vintage car
• Tombola
• Stalls
• Pets at Home coming with a few animals
• Games
• Refreshments