The main school keeps a waiting list of applicants for Nursery places and children’s names can be added from the age of 2 years. Children are normally admitted in September or January of each year. Priority is given to those living within our catchment area with places being offered first to 4 year olds and then 3 year olds.

The Nursery and the school are separate institutions. While many of our children enter the Reception class of this school before their 5th birthday, attendance at Darell Nursery is NOT a guarantee of a Reception place. A place in Darell Nursery is similarly not dependent on an application having been made for a Reception place in the school.

Nursery Routine

Each session follows the same routine:

• Welcome

• Self-registration

• Self-chosen activities

• Free-flow – indoor and outdoor play

• Circle time – songs, rhymes, sharing our news

• Fruit

• Story

• Goodbye song

• Home time

"All areas of learning and development are connected and all are equally important". Children’s learning in the Nursery is planned around the six areas of learning set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage, the government guidelines for learning and development from birth to 5 years.

These areas are as follows:

• Personal, social and emotional development – children learn to cooperate with others, to form friendships and to develop in confidence and self-esteem through their participation in a wide range of activities. We encourage them to become independent and capable individuals with a positive attitude to new experiences/learning

• Knowledge and Understanding – children develop a sense of curiosity towards their surroundings. They are encouraged to explore and experiment materials and tools, to construct and pull apart. They have access to the CD player, remote-controlled toys, the laptop mouse and the digital camera to develop their understanding of technology. Together we talk about what they know already about themselves and the world around them and help to extend their understanding. We learn about different cultures, places and times and how we care for our environment. Together we question why things happen and how things work to help make sense of our world.

• Communication, Language and Literacy – children learn to express themselves and build relationships with other children and adults using gesture and language. Through role-play, rhymes, song and story, as well as simply by playing alongside one another, the children learn to listen, join in and talk about their experiences. Simple games are played to encourage children to develop an understanding of sound, to begin to recognise and write their own name. The Nursery provides an environment rich in the spoken and written word, with books, writing equipment, story cds and staff ready to listen and respond to your child.

• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy – children begin to develop a feel for number as they play in our number rich environment both inside and out. Through number games, song, and rhyme, the children learn to count out, match, sort and compare. They explore shape, colour and size and begin to use number language spontaneously in their play.

• Physical Development – children learn to develop and control both large scale and small scale movements of their body. Outside and in our weekly PE sessions, there are opportunities to balance, climb, jump, slide and run, to build with large blocks and squeeze into a small space. Children have access to the school’s gym equipment, climbing frames, trikes and scooters. On a smaller scale, their manipulative skills are developed from using a wide range of hand held tools and developing their hand-eye coordination.

• Creative Development – children learn to respond to their experiences both inside and outside Nursery through language, song, music, dance, paint, sculpture and print. They engage in role-play, using props and costumes or simply their own rich imagination. Through the different activities available, Nursery life allows the children to explore their own creative thinking using all their senses.

The children’s routine is planned around a range of stimulating, engaging experiences and learning opportunities to address the all-round development of the individual child. Their routine is further enhanced by music with our specialist teacher, PE and cookery on a weekly basis. The Nursery also takes part in whole school events such as arts week, maths week and science week and joins the school community to celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Chinese New Year and Sports Day.

We know that children learn through play and at Darell Nursery we plan a balance of child and adult initiated activities. Theses are spread across the six areas of learning to provide strong foundations for your child’s learning journey.

Children learn differently, some choose to play alone, whilst others prefer the company of another or several children. At Nursery, children have the opportunity to play at their own pace and level. As they progress through Nursery they are encouraged to participate at adult-led activities to help develop their skills and understanding and prepare them for entry into Reception.

Inside Area:

During the session children will be encouraged to use both the indoor and outdoor areas.
Whilst inside children will take part in a wide range of activities including:

• Home corner and role play area

• Graphics and mark –making area

• Books and tapes

• Computer

• Games, puzzles and counting activities

• Small construction and investigative activities

• Dry sand and water play

• Clay, dough and other malleable materials

• Art and craft activities

• Junk modelling and woodwork

• Large construction, including block play, model making

• Cookery

The Outdoors:

"Outdoor environments offer children freedom to explore, use their senses, and be physically active and exuberant." The Early Years Foundation Stage, May 2008.

At Darell Nursery we aim to provide continuous provision; that is an outdoor environment that supports and extends the learning offered inside, such as role play, construction, sand and water, a place to be creative, a place to read and write and a place to dig and grow plants. The outdoor environment has a covered area so children are able to play outside in all weathers.

Outside learning can be different, it offers many freedoms. As well as physical freedom, the outdoors offers children the opportunity to take greater charge of their learning. Outside is more changeable, responsive to the elements, less predictable and children feel a huge sense of freedom creating, modifying and responding to this space. It is a place to use materials and resources in ways which are not possible indoors and above all it is a place to observe, explore and enjoy the natural world. For many children, especially boys, playing outdoors is the best environment to develop all areas of learning and to build confidence, independence and self-esteem.

Parents as Partners

We understand that effective communication is key to your child’s learning and development and hope to build a close two-way partnership with each parent, exchanging information on a child’s achievements, interests and concerns. Parents are encouraged to talk to staff briefly at the beginning or end of a session and are welcome to make an appointment for a longer discussion should they have a specific concern. It is helpful if we are aware of any changes in your child’s routine which may affect their enjoyment of Nursery.

How parents can take part in nursery

We value the contributions parents make at nursery and once your child has fully settled, we welcome you to stay and help out. We want to involve families in their child’s education and value contributions parents make to the partnership. A timetable is on display for parents to sign up for half an hour or longer during a session.
There are many ways in which parents can take part in their child’s nursery experience such as:

• Helping out in nursery sessions

• Sharing their own special interest/profession or hobby with the children

• Exchanging knowledge about their child’s needs, activities, interests and progress with the nursery staff

• Becoming a parent rep

• Providing, making and looking after the equipment and resources used in the children’s play activities

• Joining us on visits/outings

• Joining in community activities in which nursery and the school takes part

• Building friendships with other parents in the pre-school; and

• Borrowing books and maths packs from the Nursery

 

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