Activities and Projects
The Pre-School leader and the other staff plan each session to involve the children in a wide range of activities, fulfilling the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum. A typical morning will involve group sessions incorporating registration and weekly topic discussions. During these sessions, the children are encouraged to come to the front of the group and gradually acquire the confidence to speak out in front of their peers in a warm and supportive atmosphere. Some of the other activities planned for a session will be directly supervised; others may take the form of free-play. In addition to group activities, children receive plenty of individual attention.
Activities at Pre-School are project based and a new project is planned for each half term or term depending on the amount of detail to the subject. We might, for example be looking at the theme of 'Transport' or 'Continents of the world' and many of the group discussions, creative, musical and other activities will relate to this topic.
The sessions are planned in advance in detail so that we can provide a varied and exciting curriculum. The activities planned are displayed on the notice board for parents/carers' information. Projects are planned for each half term or term, with each week looking at a particular topic in detail. Children are encouraged to bring in items to share relating to that topic, colour or letter of the week. On occasions, as part of the current project, a local community figure may visit and talk to the children or we might organise a trip in the local area.
A flavour of the activities on offer to the children during a session may include creative work, construction toys, small world toys, puzzles, games, sand, water and cooking. In particular, emphasis is placed on language, literacy and mathematical skills. The children have access to a computer, which is very popular. Books are always available in the comfortable reading corner and the children are encouraged to treat them with respect. The children are free to choose an activity, but all are invited to participate in the language and mathematical work.
Children have plenty of opportunity to use up some of their energies, joining in-group activities with singing, dancing, drama and playing musical instruments. Weather permitting, the children have an outside play period. Please provide suitable clothing. We use the school facilities at the Pre-School's allotted time (not the main school playtime) and the children ride the tricycles, chase bubbles or play more organised games involving hoops, hopping and the parachute. Activities contribute to children's health, their physical development and their knowledge of the world around them.
Once a week we have a P.E. lesson, which may include Yoga, walking the line (balancing skills), catching and throwing. This allows the children to practice changing their clothes and shoes, and increases their independence in readiness for starting school.
The pre-school provides aprons for the children when they play with messy activities. Please send your child in clothes which you do not mind if they get messy. We also introduced a uniform which, although not compulsory, will benefit the children in many ways.
All outdoor clothing and shoes must be labelled with your child's name. Please ask a member of staff for a label order form if you require labels. In the interest of safety, please ensure that you child wears sensible footwear.
For safety reasons, children are not permitted to wear jewellery in Pre-School, with the exception of stud earrings. Cultural/religious requirements will be respected, but please discuss these with the Play Leader. In this case the parent/carer must provide a signed waiver of liability to the Pre-school. This will state that the Pre-school will not be held responsible for loss or injury caused to or by the jewellery. Staff will remove any other jewellery from children and the Pre-school will not be liable for such items.
When a child has a birthday, we ask that they bring to Pre-School a set of photos for each year of their life so that we may celebrate their journey in life so far with the Montessori Birthday Game.
During the session the children are able to enjoy a drink and snack. The Pre-School provides milk and water and healthy snacks are provided by the parent/carer helper i.e. raisins, fresh fruit, sandwiches. In addition water is freely available throughout the session for the children.
Children are encouraged to pour their own drinks, to promote their independence and children take it in turns to lay the table and pass round snacks. Snack time provides an ideal opportunity for staff and children to share their news in an informal setting and for children to develop their language and social skills.
The morning usually ends with a quiet session as the children sit on the mat listening to a story or poems before going home (the latter monitored with Exit Register).
We recognise that the children in our care will progress at different rates and the activities that they take part in are designed to enable them to consolidate their existing skills and knowledge and challenge them to extend them further.
Observations and assessments are regularly made of the children and these are available for parents to view on request.
