A Typical Day
We are totally dedicated to following the children’s interests. We do not have structured daily routines which interrupt children’s learning and creativity and are not reflective of high-quality early years provision. Instead, we plan our day around what children are showing interest in. We have lunch around 12.00pm and after this, some of our younger children, and those staying all day, might want a rest/sleep. We have designated space available for this with sleep pods and a quiet, restful environment.
Our day is planned exclusively around what the children need. Our doors to the garden are open from the moment our nursery day starts, until we leave at the end of the day. This allows ample time for children to follow their interest and play and explore in an environment they love the most. We deploy our staff effectively so that high quality teaching consistently takes place. We always remind parents that children need warm, waterproof coats and boots so that exploration takes place in all weather conditions!
We create a consistent approach to our day so that children feel secure, and they know what happens next. The day starts with a nourishing breakfast for those who arrive between 7.30am and 8.30am. This is a great opportunity for the children to start the day together with their friends. At lunchtime, children enjoy a nutritional, balanced two-course meal. A cooked tea is offered around 4.00pm. Snacks are available during the morning and afternoon. Drinking water is offered to children throughout the day.
Our staff are always on hand to help children make choices about what they want to do. Some children may want to take part in group activities, others may want to pursue their own interests. Staff will always observe children closely to make sure every child is positively engaged and enabled to learn in a positive way. We offer times for children to sit together and listen to stories or have discussions together. We manage this well by enabling those with similar interests and levels of engagement to stay together. For example, we do not expect our younger children to have the same levels of focus as our older, or more confident children. This happens with time and greater levels of maturity.
Throughout the day, children will experience an extensive range of play and learning opportunities, inside and outside. This may include discovery play, creative activities, role play, language games and individual conversations to build vocabulary, counting and mathematical activity, physical games, music, songs/rhymes/stories, small world play, science experiments, cookery, sports, problem-solving, and gardening. We offer a balance of child-led and adult-initiated learning, but the focus is always on what children are doing, and how they are choosing to use things. We observe carefully what children are saying, and plan to extend all activities appropriately to enrich the learning experiences and build on children’s knowledge and skills.
We support all aspects of highly effective early years teaching and learning practice. We want all children to become confident, busy, inquisitive, active learners and offer a routine which fully promotes this. We allow children to become fully engrossed in their learning, so they make their own special discoveries and are naturally inspired to find out more.