OUR AIMS

We aim to provide at all stages of nursery life good quality care in a warm, safe and caring environment, conducive to children’s learning and general development.  The first five years of a child’s life are recognised as being a particularly receptive time for learning.  Children need experiences which encourage all aspects of development.  The adults who share this responsibility must work together in partnership, recognising the equal but different strengths which each give to the child.  The setting, through knowledge of child development, observation and assessment will provide a relevant, broad and balanced curriculum which takes into account the diversity of children’s developmental stages, needs and capabilities.

OUR OBJECTIVES

We endorse the following principles, situations and contexts for learning:

• Provide a curriculum which takes account of, and responds to, the children's developmental needs and allows them to make progress related to their differing abilities.  ‘What the child can do’ will be our starting point;
• Place play at the heart of children's learning;
• Ensure the children have positive experiences of success at their own levels now, in order to give them confidence and motivation for learning in the future;
• Match activities to the individual child's stage of development in all areas of learning;
• Provide quality learning experiences for all the children. Learning which is structured, balanced and relevant to the child. Provide activities giving children opportunities for exploration, investigation, imagination and creativity;
• Encourage autonomy, independence and confidence;
• To respect, understand and value the contribution parents make towards their child’s learning;
• To provide support, guidance and encouragement to parents as educators;
• Enable children’s natural curiosity and interest to develop through the provision of a stimulating environment where questioning, hypothesising, testing theories and refining ideas are the accepted ways of learning;
• Lay foundations for values using children's own experiences and the positive role model presented by adults;
• Have information on nursery education funding freely available to all parents/carers;
• Keep an accurate and up to date children attendance register, which clearly identifies the total number of sessions, provided and where appropriate and if possible differentiate between paid for and funded sessions;
• To retain experienced and qualified staff attracting women returnees of a more mature ilk;
• To ensure all staff are provided with training opportunities to develop the setting as well as their own skills;
• To appoint part time staff to cover in times of sickness and for holidays. This will ensure a higher staff /child ratio at all times;
• To maintain a web-cam facility to monitor children in their daily role so as to reassure parents that we offer excellent care;
• To establish an enviable reputation in the area;
• To purchase a variety of computer software for the pre-school room;
• To have over 50% of staff trained to NVQ level 3 in childcare;
• To offer stakeholder pensions advice to all staff;
• To set up a sick pay scheme for all staff after their first year;
• To maintain a low level of staff turnover by providing good facilities and conditions for staff; and
• To have flexibility within the setting caring for each individual child’s needs