Environment
We have a holistic approach to child development which seeks to simultaneously address the physical, emotional, relational, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of a child’s life.
We appreciate that this is largely dependent on a positive relationship and communication between the nursery staff and parents. Therefore, we endeavour to work in partnership with parents and keep them informed of all aspects of their child’s well being and progress at nursery.
Our managers operate an open door policy and are always happy to talk with parents regarding any issues or concerns.
At George Eliot Kindergarten, we believe that children are active learners from birth and that if we provide them with the right environment, support and experiences, it will help to encourage their curiosity, imagination and creativity. We also need to ensure that we stimulate each child emotionally and intellectually by providing the best circumstances to promote active learning.
We have designed our nursery environments to be cosy and exciting and they are structured in such a way as to promote a child’s independence, decision-making and problem solving.The environment is organised into clearly defined areas to accommodate different activities appropriate to the development and competence of the children. Areas are divided by the use of low level shelving that reduces distraction and allows children to become engrossed in their activities.
Children have access to a range of materials such as sand, water and paint which helps their creativity and develops their independence. Equal emphasis is placed on calm areas of the nursery where the children can feel cosy and enjoy stories, rhymes and songs. Wooden toys, materials which encourage children to discover solutions for themselves, and mirrors enhance tactile and visual stimulation. Every environment is designed to encourage physical skills such as crawling, sitting, standing and walking which are all important for development.
Promoting Positive Behaviour
Children benefit most when adults adopt a consistent and positive approach to the management of behaviour. By establishing clear boundaries according to the level of understanding, children become aware of the routines and begin to understand what is expected of them.
Children have a lot to learn about behaving and coping with very different environments in their first five years. The children in our nursery are at varying stages of development. Our staff are sensitive to the individual needs of each child, their cultural and family backgrounds, and their developmental stage of learning.
Managers and their teams have a responsibility to ensure that:
- the physical environment is safe, well organised and stimulating
- all activities, resources and equipment are appropriate for the children’s ages and stages of development
- when appropriate, children are given opportunities to become involved in their own learning environment including the setting of rules and boundaries
- our nursery offers an organised environment that provides plenty of well planned and age appropriate activities
- when they are actively included in positive play with adults, children are less likely to adopt inappropriate behaviour
The five outcomes are:
- stay safe – looking after the children’s welfare and ensuring a safe environment
- be healthy – safeguarding and promoting children’s health and well-being
- enjoy and achieve – supporting the children in their learning and development
- make a positive contribution – working together with parents and encouraging children to play a beneficial part in their nursery and wider community
- Achieve economic wellbeing – Flexible, full day care provision that supports parents returning to work or education.