OUR NURSERY
ACTIVITIES
Children are offered a wide range of activities that encourage learning through play based on the children's interests. All activities are linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage. We plan mini themes to follow every half term and each day we focus on a 'Key Activity'. This is usually an adult-led activity allowing staff to extend and scaffold the children's learning appropriately. We also allow child led and planning in the moment activities as often children's learning can take a different path to our plans.
We enjoy cooking and incorporate this into our plans as often as possible! We aim to promote the importance of healthy eating and dental health through these activities and snack time, which covers a diversity of healthy foods and often multicultural food.
We have a wealth of quality resources and extensively planned activities to stimulate and excite the children. Our Nursery offers children the opportunity to experience both adult and child initiated activities arranged into different zones throughout the room.
We encourage the children to make their own choices by accessing as many of the resources on offer independently.
Most of our resources are stored in child height units with clear written and pictorial labels allowing them to access these freely. Experienced staff are always available to lend a helping hand.
We frequently explore the village of Westmill with the children - visiting the lambs at Spring time, the Church, the park and the Nature reserve, which is a super setting for an outdoor 'classroom'.
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Working above the recommended staff:child ratios our team of dedicated, qualified practitioners nurture and guide children through their early educational years. They are committed to monitoring children's progress and sharing this with parents and carers. Each child is assigned a keyperson who will keep an online journey via Famly app for your children’s developmental progress across the seven areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Three times a year children's progress is reviewed and we look at their targets for the next term. The targets taken are based around the 'Development Matters' learning goals. We help children achieve their Next Steps by providing them with planned learning opportunities but we are also child led and have planning in the moment opportunities everyday. Regular parent meetings give parents and staff the opportunity to share this information and discuss the progress of their child.
NURSERY SESSIONS
We are open Monday to Friday from 9.20am to 1.20pm term time. We also offer extended sessions Monday to Thursday 1.20pm to 2.20pm for children who are in receipt of 3 & 4 year old funding. Children bring their own packed lunches and enjoy a sociably lunch time with their keyperson.All Children including those with special education needs are able to join our nursery from the age of 2. Children can join our waiting list anytime of the year. We have intakes into the nursery in September and January subject to availability.We are registered providers of Nursery education and are able to claim 15 funded hours a week for eligible 2 year olds and all 3 & 4 year olds and up to 24 funded hours a week for some 3 & 4 year olds (as part of 30 hour scheme, subject to availability) from the term after your child turns 3.
WESTMILL NURSERY
The sessions at Westmill are great fun as well as being educational. We have a routine which the children come to recognise and which helps them to settle quickly at the nursery. The nursery runs in one room in the village hall, which accommodates different zones including a role play area, book corner, mindful area with comfy cushions, craft/mark making and problem solving zones. We have two outside areas, one which has an all-weather canopy allowing outside play every day. The children are split into age-related groups for certain activities during the session.
We recognise that communication with parents is important. To keep parents up to date with nursery news we send out a monthly newsletter as well as intermittent emails/letters. We also produce half termly activity plans which update parents with our topics and information about how parents can get involved in their child’s education inside and out of the nursery. We welcome parent helpers and often request assistance with cooking activity’s or other events.