Pre-school, in the Farmhouse.
HighhouseNursery@btconnect.com
This is the third section of
the Day Nursery,
accepting children 3 to 5 years. The ratio within the building is 1:8.
This time is very important in your child's life. He or she is
preparing to enter mainstream school. The right curriculum is essential at this
stage, we have a graduate specialist Early Years teacher , fully qualified and
experienced, to guide your child through this crucial stage in
his or her life.
Your child will gain enormously from the
small groupings and family atmosphere of this section of the Nursery. We aim to
keep the intimacy of the earlier environments and combine it with a wider
educational, and skills based curriculum. Your child has the opportunity to
learn essential basic skills, so that he or she will enter school well equipped
to handle the sometimes difficult situations, as they arise. We have had many
teachers within local schools tell us that they recognise our children from
their confidence and understanding when they enter the school situation.
So much to learn......... in so many ways! The
herb garden.....
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Each group of children spend much of their time with their individual
teacher, in their ‘home base’ for register and story times, and
other rooms for specialised activities.
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Each group follows a
structured day with library, number, reading, and art
and craft sessions each day. |
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The Montessori
room is in the house and children are taken in small groups to use the
specialised Montessori equipment.
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The
use of computers in the nursery is encouraged with the children. The child
learns cooperation, social interaction, and fine motor
control, as well as the aims and objectives of each individual program.
One of the lesser known benefits of working with
computers is the co-operative play that develops, whereby children will
co-operate to complete a task, or find a solution to a specific problem.
Using imagination and dressing up, role play and
pretending, all vital ingredients of language development understanding the
rules of social interaction.
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Our
children set the tables, and pour their own drinks. They cut their own fruit
and serve to each other, learning to say "Please",
"May I have a ......"
" Would you like a ........."
"Thank you", and
"No thank you" - as appropriate. We encourage our children to
interact with their peers at mealtimes, lunch is a very social occasion!
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Measuring and counting, number is all around us, everyday activities
including mealtimes are a rich source of learning about numbers.
Lunches
Our lunches are cooked on
the premises. All children receive a lunch every day. Our cook will cater for
special diets where necessary and vegetarian choice is always available. We have
designed the lunches so that they adhere to Government guidelines for Healthy
Eating.
Our lunches endeavour to always use ingredients that are additive free. We are
aware of the adverse effects chemical additives can have on the health of
children and we like to use fresh ingredients wherever possible.
Milk and a healthy snack are served at break times.
Children staying for the
longer sessions may bring an extra snack with them, this is served at
four p.m. In
the summer the children delight in eating outdoors and have a picnic, in the garden.
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Four and Rising Five
Children.
The four year old children follow
a slightly more formal timetable. Their day is broken into
Curriculum areas, including activities involving Maths, Language and
Literature, Science, Physical Education, Music, Topic work
encompassing some History, and Geography. Physical Education is
included on a regular basis, with Food and Nutrition when
appropriate. Our children learn to socialise, to share, to be
polite; so many skills necessary for life. Montessori believed that
children should learn and understand these skills from an early age.
Her activities and ethos within her schools helped children to
understand the needs of others and the needs of the environment.
Children will ask to share in games and activities, they should
understand the need for individual privacy and space, they want
order in their lives and need to understand how that order is
maintained on an everyday basis. Through structured activities,
sharing games, and making everyday activities fun, the Nursery works
towards to achieving these aims.
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Assessments
All children have regular
assessments. Staff assess children every few months checking progress in certain
core skills, both 'academic' and 'social'. Children develop at differing rates.
It is important that Parents consider assessments as a general guide to
progress. Staff are happy to discuss children's work with Parents, this can take
place at the end of the day, or if more time is needed, it is requested that
Parents make an appointment.
Our Nursery is within easy travelling distance of the
following places:
Bishop's Stortford, Takeley, Stansted, Elsenham, Great Dunmow, Canfield, Henham, Harlow, Quendon, Clavering, Saffron
Walden, Mole Hill Green, Birchanger, Thaxted, Ashdon, Debden, Debden Green,
Newport, Priors Green, Broxted, Little Canfield, Sawbridgeworth, Thorley,
Hatfield Heath, Hatfield Broad Oak
http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/ |
