Adderley Nursery School

Adderley is a very child-centred nursery, which means that children spend much of their day engaged in self-directed learning. The majority of the day is free-flow, meaning children choose to engage in a range of different activities, indoors and outdoors. Children engage in activities independently and with their friends, as well as taking part in adult facilitated activities that are planned from children's interests and developmental needs. We believe that at this young age children learn best through a play-based curriculum, with support from our experienced staff team who engage with children in their play to support social interaction, language development and further learning opportunities. Some key attributes we seek to develop in children include self-confidence, problem solving and independence. 2-4s Unlike many other settings, at Adderley our two to four year olds are all part of the same unit. They share the same space and access the same activities. The Nursery is led by qualified early years' teachers and experienced qualified Nursery Practitioners. Key Person Each child & family has a named key practitioner. This offers the opportunity for a special relationship to develop. The key practitioner builds a close relationship by acting as a companion for the child & being mindful to the needs of the child during each day. The key practitioner acts as a champion for child & parent. Sharing information and creating opportunities to talk with parents builds trust & partnership. Settling-in is a crucial time. Transitions Each child and family is unique. Before starting Nursery, we offer all children and families a pre-entry induction meeting at Nursery and sometimes a home visit. We have new children starting every term. We have a range of base areas that offer a place of security for children to explore the Nursery. The Loft Room and Green Room provision support our youngest children to make smooth transitions from home to Nursery. There are seamless internal transitions to Studio 1 and Studio 2 for older children. Studio 1 and Studio 2 offer continuity and progression. We work together to support the settling process. When parents feel comfortable in the setting it helps their children to settle. During the Summer Term we work closely with neighbouring primary schools to offer smooth transitions to Reception. Children leave with excellent primary school readiness. Rhythm of the Day Adderley feels like home. We create Rhythm in the Nursery through our daily routine. Some children arrive early for breakfast and stay for tea. These are nurturing, social times. For most children in Nursery the day begins with meeting & greeting by the key person. A group time with the key person takes place on entry to meet & plan learning (breathing in) (15 minutes). This is followed by a period of child-initiated play indoors & outdoors (breathing out & exploring the world) (90 minutes). A group time at end of the session to share food, reflect, share stories and singing (breathing in) (15 minutes). About the Nursery Rhythm also comes through personal care routines. Nappy changing, changing clothes, washing, eating, quiet/resting/sleeping times are learning and development times for key person and child. Children experience the seasons and feel connected to nature and its lifecycle. There is a planned yearly timetable for looking after the garden and visits to parks. There are unplanned spontaneous experiences connected to weather. Children participate in real experiences like shopping, gardening, cooking and caring for living creatures and plants Food and Nutrition We are passionate about fresh, healthy food that tastes great. The right nutrients can affect everyone's mood, behaviour, health, growth and even their ability to concentrate. Encouraging a well-balanced diet establishes healthy eating now and for the future. We offer hot meals that are brought onto site by specialist caterers in education establishments. The children also have access to a morning snack of fruit with water available throughout the day. We offer breakfast and tea to children who are with us for longer days. The children grow some of our food in the garden. Governing Body The Governing body plays a key role in overseeing the practice and ethos of the school. They provide challenge and support to the Executive Head teacher and leadership team. If you would like to be involved please ask at Reception. Annual Data At Adderley we track children's learning and development termly, seeking to ensure that children make good or better progress and continue to be stimulated and challenged by their nursery experiences. This information is shared with families at termly reviews. We also use this data to identify curriculum development priorities. Working with Parents We value parental input very highly. We are always looking for parents to join our Governing Body which s a way to be involved in the direction that Adderley takes moving forwards. Each term parents meet with their child's Key person and contribute to identifying 'next steps' for their child's learning and development. We encourage families to share children's learning experiences from home through the Tapestry documentation tool.