Curriculum

At Manorcroft Nursery we try to provide a warm, caring environment in which a child will happily play and learn and each will reach his/her full potential. The activities we provide are changed regularly and in most areas children are encouraged to self-select. The activities offered to the children are planned to help them achieve the goals for children's learning outlined by the Department of Education. Please read the notice board regularly or speak to a member of staff for details.

We have a vast range of books which we encourage the children to enjoy and take time over. We also operate a library system. Each child may take a book home; when they are ready they may return it and exchange it for another. We hope parents will enjoy the books together with their children and encourage them to care for the books. At both morning and afternoon sessions the whole group meets in the book corner for registration. At afternoon sessions this is kept very short at first, progressing to longer sessions as the children mature. In the mornings registration is followed by a group activity. We follow a theme over each half term and the group activities is centred around this theme, e.g. ourselves, water, light and dark. During this time the children are expected to participate, to take turns in talking and listening to others. This time may also include music, singing, movement or games. After this the children are free to choose from the many activities on offer, including playing outside, weather permitting. The activities are planned with various aspects of learning in mind. If the children play with them because they want to and they are fun then they will learn as they play. We offer all children equal access to all play materials to enable them to explore adult roles through, for example, the home corner.

Every day the children are able to handle and become familiar with sand and water. We also have other natural materials such as clay, dough, sawdust, chalk or rice. We encourage the children to experiment as they play.

Painting in various ways, i.e. large or small brushes, rollers, sponges, is also always available, as are a variety of table toys. These may include puzzles, games, construction toys, threading and shape sorters. All these toys aid eye/hand co-ordination and there is much to be learned about colour, shape, size and weight, which will prepare the children for reading and writing skills. Various writing materials are available at every session, and the computer and tabletop games are regularly available to encourage number work. Larger equipment such as dolls' houses, railway tracks, etc. are available on a carpeted area. These encourage co-operation between the children in group play. The well equipped home corner, which is easily converted into an office, clinic, travel agent etc. is always very popular and gives the children the opportunity to extend their imaginative play. At the craft table the aim is to encourage the children to experiment with scissors, paste, glue and different materials. We encourage them to discover for themselves by providing learning activities.

In the mornings the children are divided into groups of about five, each group having a special key-worker The key-workers keep records of the children's progress and helps with planning to build on the children's achievements. We endeavour to give each group a special time as often as possible - this may be playing a game, drawing, writing, a computer activity, or craft activity. We aim to develop pre-reading and writing skills throughout the children's time at nursery but we use this special group time to pay particular attention to the skills attained by each child. We try to prepare each child so that by the time they start school they have mastered the necessary skills and have the enthusiasm to learn. Each child is provided with a Surrey Early Years Foundation Stage Learning Journey which is regularly updated by his/her keyworker and is available to parents at all times. At the beginning of the Autumn term and the end of the Summer term parents will be invited for a chat about their child’s progress. Staff update parents regularly on an informal basis about a child’s progress.

We have a PC and a good selection of educational games which are fun to play.

Children can choose to play in the garden or outside classroom. The snack bar opens at 10 am in the mornings and closes at 11 am and in the afternoons it opens about 2.15 pm. The children are offered milk and water, sometimes we offer milk shake as a treat. Snacks are offered in the mornings and afternoons. (Water is always available at other times for the children to help themselves.) This is a lovely opportunity for the children to socialise as a group. After this we usually go into the garden to play again. We have a large play area of tarmac, astro turf and grass. We also have a large covered area and so we are able to get out most days. We have a play house, a sand pit, an ‘A’ frame and a good supply of ‘sit’n ride’ toys and balls, hoops, etc. The children are encouraged to put on their own coats and boots when necessary.

Towards the end of a session all the activities are put away by the staff and by the children. The children are encouraged to help to tidy up - many hands make light work!

Each session ends with, perhaps, some singing, music and movement or a birthday celebration, followed by a quiet time listening to a story. Books are also given out to take home. No child is allowed to leave unless collected by a parent or known carer.