The children are welcomed into a child friendly environment, where they are free to choose toys, games and puzzles available at their level in areas around the room. Willow children will also self-register at this time. Our qualified staff use this time to play with the children and create conversation to learn more about them. They help support their confidence in language, thinking and communicating with both adults and their peers. This time also allows opportunities for parents to talk with staff if they wish. This is the ideal opportunity in a relaxed environment for the children to learn to share, take turns and have empathy for others. At the end of choosing time the children are encouraged to tidy up with the sand timer as support.

The children settle into their team areas in each room, where Mulberry will sing their group song and have welcome time while Willow will use Makaton and sing their day song and count the children. Both groups will discuss the topic being followed that week. Willow children will also use this time to do their Jolly Phonics joining in with fun songs and actions.

This is the time that both Willow and Mulberry children join together. It is very much child initiated learning where the children have continuous access to play in the creative area, investigation area, role play, sand and water as well as many other activities that reflect the topic of the moment. Staff play alongside the children, helping to develop their learning and social skills, enabling them to become more confident and independent individuals and most of all to have FUN.

We ensure all our children have a choice of 2 or 3 healthy snacks, which include a variety of fruit and vegetables and other snacks (listed outside the Willow/Mulberry coat area). Children also choose between milk and water as well as having access to a ‘water station’ throughout the day with their water bottles. We use snack time to promote healthy choices and discussions about ‘Being Healthy’, which also include the importance of hand washing and keeping active.

Either Mulberry or Willow will go out into the garden first allowing a smaller group to use the indoors space for group time with their key person. Resources are selected and organised to use with the children that reflect the breadth and balance of our curriculum and provide coverage of all 7 areas of learning, both inside and out, creating fun and exciting activities for the children, and staff. We use this opportunity to move children forward in their learning and are able to differentiate between individual children’s needs. This is also one of the times where we are able to observe our children and record their progress, which we are able to share with parents/guardians.

Again, either Mulberry or Willow will go out into the garden at any one time. We believe outdoor play is vital to young children’s learning and helps them to develop intellectually, socially and emotionally as well as physically. We provide rich and relevant resources outside to help children explore all 7 areas of learning and help to develop their natural curiosity about the world around them, through play and having FUN. We have a large play area with access to grass, soft play, a reading/writing den and playground. We use climbing frames, cars, bikes, trikes, ball games, role play, construction and nature to stimulate our children’s development.

We ensure our nursery day has a good balance between adult led and child initiated activities to help fully develop their social skills and help prepare them for school.

The afternoon session follows a very similar pattern. Each session is carefully designed to provide a balanced range of experiences for your child, to stimulate educationally and to provide fun emotionally and socially. This should help your child grow in every way. Please give us feedback, any ideas are always welcome.