All children are supported in developing their potential at their own pace. Our key person system enables us to ensure a planned curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child. By means of developmentally appropriate play activities and a high level of individual adult input, we offer a curriculum which prepares children to progress with confidence to the National Curriculum at the age of five.

Structure of a session

Start of the session
Each session starts with the same routine - a familiar pattern that helps the children settle into the pre-school session.  Each child takes a mat from the floor and sits in the music area for the session register to be taken. As each child's name is called, they are expected to answer "here I am" which encourages the children to speak out in a group.  This register is then used in the event of a building evacuation to ensure all children are accounted for.

Letter of the week

Each child is encouraged to bring in an item from home, which starts with the letter of the week.   The children line up, and put their item on the letter table (as shown in the picture) and then return to their mat.  For "D" week, ducks, dogs, donkeys, diggers, dinosaurs and a Dalek were presented. 		Letter table

The date

The staff ask the children if they know what the day, month, season and weather are - nominating a child so that it isn't always the same children answering. The whole group then say a standard phrase "Today is Thursday the 22nd of May 2008. The season is spring and the weather is sunny". This process reinforces the children to the concept of dates and seasons, as well as familiarising the children with the words. 		Date and weather board

Library books

After "the date", each child is called up with their yellow school bag to borrow a book from the library corner.  Children are encouraged to select a book for themselves, and put the book into their bag which is handed back to the child at the end of the session.  The library corner has a collection of several hundred books which the children are also free to read during the sessions. 		Library corner

Play time

Once library books have been selected, the children are free to play with a wide selection of indoor toys, and play outdoors if the weather is suitable. Details of some of the toys and activities is available later on this page.

End of session

At the end of the session, the children are called to take a mat and sit for story time, read by the pre-school supervisor. After the story, one child is called to hand out the other children's school bags in which any paperwork for parents has been placed. As the session ends, a member of staff greets each parent and calls their child's name, passing on any important information and getting a signature in the medication and accident books if necessary.

Around the room - toys and activities

Table toys

The table toys area has a selection of toys, which the children can select and then sit at a table to play with. Toys include jigsaws, cotton reels, stickle bricks and Lego.
Table toys

Painting

Children are encouraged to express themselves creatively - with paint.  Painting is usually enthusiastic with colourful creations taken home with great pride (after they have had time to dry).  This table complements the art and craft table and the creation table.   Children are required to wear one of the aprons provided.
Painting Painting

Art and Craft

These tables are normally used for art activities such as playdoh, sponge painting, stencils, drawing and colouring, and cutting with safety scissors. On occasions, the tables are also used for cooking activities.
Art and craft

Themed table and floor jigsaws

The themed table contains books and other items related to the theme of the week, which is also reflected on the story table. Children are free to play with the items on the table. As well as the table top jigsaws the children can choose from a selection of approximately a dozen floor jigsaws.
themed table floor jigsaws

Science and 3D shapes tables

The science table has books and pictures of a variety of objects - 'bugs' in the photo - as well as magnets, a magnifying glass and pen and paper. Children are encouraged to look, touch and, if they wish, draw what they see !. The 3D shapes table contains a selection of cubes, cylinders, cones and other 3D shapes.
Science table 3D shapes table

Home corner

Home corner is just that - a corner of the room where the children can act out the roles they see at home. The area has dolls cots, a highchair, a dolls bed, cupboards and cookers and is often used by children for cooperative play.
Home corner Home corner

Story sacks

Story Sacks were developed by Neil Griffiths, formally a head teacher in Swindon and are designed to help adults share books with children in a way that is positive, theatrical, special, interactive and fun.   A story sack is a large bag containing a storybook with supporting materials, such as puppets, to stimulate reading/language activities.  All of the pre-school Story Sacks are created by Wendy as well as the backdrops and some of the items on the table. Whenever possible, the children are involved in the stories.  For "the tiger who came to tea" the children were encouraged to make their own sandwiches and cakes.
Home corner

Computer

The pre-school has a computer with educational software aimed at pre-school children (with no internet connection) and a child-sized mouse. This is normally supervised by an adult and a record is taken of which children have used the computer to ensure all children get turn over the course of a few weeks. Sometimes children can be found working cooperatively to solve puzzles on the computer.
Computer

Creation table

The creation table follows the same theme as the themed table and story sacks and involves the children making themed items, often involving the use of sticking, gluing or glitter. For the "under the sea" theme, children decorated shell shapes, which are subsequently used to help decorate the themed areas.
creation table

Instruments and 'music' area and dolls house

This area contains a variety of musical instruments which the children use to make sounds (although not normally anything recognisable as a melody). The large carpeted area is also used by children for playing with a dolls house, train set and vehicles.

Outside play

Outside play is encouraged whenever the weather is suitable. Outdoor toys include bikes, trikes, cars, scooters and a sand and water table. Children are encouraged to share and take turns, often engaged in cooperating play. Outdoor play is always supervised and in an enclosed area.
Outdoor play

Milk table

The 'milk' table is available throughout the session (except at the very end) and is always manned either by a member of staff or a parent helper. Children are encouraged to find their name cow before sitting down. The cows encourage children to recognise their written name (and, cunningly, are otherwise identical to avoid cheating). On the back of the cows is written any dietary / allergy information for the child. The children sit down and get a drink, pouring it themselves if they are capable. Children can visit the table again whenever they wish - if there is a spare seat. The adult uses the unclaimed cows to identify and children who have not had a drink and encourages them to do so.
milk table