Extra activities and support we offer:
PALS (playing and learning to socialise)
This programme is an introduction to social skills and they are essential to help a child adapt to school. It supports children to use a range of socially skilled behaviours such as looking at people when talking to them, listening and not interrupting, following rules and sharing/taking turns. Parents are asked to support this at home and are sent information sheets on ideas of how they can support their child.
Multi sensory group time (Small group time)
Children will take part in a small, adult lead group activity during their time at Play2Learn. Every child will be encouraged to take part and the activity is planned so that the child’s senses are used to encourage deep learning. Activities may be based around a story, nursery rhymes, letters and sounds or music. It is linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage and forms part of the weekly planning
Let's Talk Together
Play2Learn Nursery has been accredited with the Let’s Talk Together award, this means that all the team are highly skilled in supporting children with their language development. Language is important as it forms the basis for interactions with other people and allows us to tell someone about our thoughts, needs and experiences. It is also vital as children need these skills to make friends. At the setting we have an Early Years Lead Language professional (Sukhvir) who ensures that the setting is a communication friendly environment. All team members spend time talking and more importantly listening to children, taking part in their play, extending their language and developing their imaginary play. To support Let’s Talk Together we use signing and visual clues alongside verbal language. We spend time reading stories and using props so the children can become involved and we sing many different rhymes as this help to develop vocabulary in a fun way. Parents are involved by sending rhymes and stories home and each key person will share individual planning with parents that will support language development. In turn parents share what their child has done at home and how their child expresses themselves so we can work in partnership.
Forest school
Every child will be able to take part in Forest Schools which takes place in the Local Park and forested area at the back of the setting. In the park the children can explore the forested area, the paths, walkways and river and in the forested area the trees, plants and wild life. There are high staff ratios of 1:3 with a qualified practitioner, Annette, who is the Forest Schools Leader. The children are encouraged to be independent, to challenge themselves and take managed risks. The activities are linked to the curriculum and are included on the group planning, the nursery provides all in one coats and wellington boots so that all children can take part. Please come out with us to a session of Forest Schools to see why your child enjoys it so much!
Outdoor play
Everyday the children will be encouraged to go outside where they will have access to the same curriculum as inside. This allows children that prefer to learn while moving around to access all the activities in a more physical way.
Healthy Setting
Play2Learn has achieved its healthy setting status and is one of the first to do this in the Borough so we are very proud to have this award as it shows our commitment to ensuring that every child is healthy at Play2Learn. Healthy setting covers all areas of a child’s health such as the food that is provided (please ask to see our rotating menu for each season), the amount of physical exercise your child gets – (please ask about Physical Literacy). We also support children and their families in oral health by encouraging children to brush their teeth at the nursery and we have a trained tooth champion. There are also opportunities to attend workshops around oral health and healthy life styles throughout the year. We grow fruit and vegetables with the children and of course work in partnership with parents to ensure that every child is happy and healthy. At play2learn we also have a designated wellbeing lead who supports the children, staff and families at the nursery.
Observations
When you join the nursery you will be sent a link by email for Eylog which you must set up in order to receive pictures of your child and their observations. When your child first joins us we will send pictures and videos to show how they are settling, and you are welcome to contact us at any time to see how they are.
Once your child is settled then each practitioner will spend as much time with them as possible to develop their learning and support them where it is needed. In order to do this they are unable to take lots of photographs as it interrupts your child’s learning. However, your key person will keep you updated verbally on your child’s progress and will take some photographs when they are assessing your child at key points in the year, this is what we call your child’s spotlight month. We will also send details of events and notices through this system. Please check when you join that this is working or you will miss out on vital information. This system is secure and only accessible by our parents. At the end of the year you will be able to buy your child’s learning journal or if you prefer you can print the pictures and observations yourself and make a scrap book. You will be able to order a copy of your child’s learning journal from the parent app.