DEVONSHIREHOUSENURSERYSCHOOL
DevonshireHouseSchool
Everychildhasauniquecharacter.Andweembracethemall.Wecan’t replaceyouasaparentbutwepromiseyourchildwillgrow,learnand playinasafeenvironment,readyforthenextbigstep.
OurcompleteeducationfromNurserySchooltoCommonentranceto SeniorSchoolallowschildrentotransitionasseamlesslyaspossible betweentheyeargroups,helpingthemtogrowintohappy,well-rounded individuals.
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DevonshireHouseNurserySchool
TheNurseryconsistsoftwoyeargroups:“Acorns”for childrenjoiningusattwoyearsold,and“Oaks”forthree
nurturingenvironmentwherechildrencanbecome
HeadofNurserySchool
thattheuniqueandnaturaltalentsofeverychildare recognisedandencouragedfromthemomenttheystart.
andinspirationtoeverylearningmoment.
Byworkingtogether,wegiveyourchildthebest introductiontotheirschoollifeandbuildaloveof learningthatwillbethefoundationoftheirsuccessat DevonshireHouse.
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NURSERYCURRICULUM
Mrs.Szpakowski
NurserychildrenfollowtheEarlyYearsFoundationStage(EYFS) framework.
ThePrimeAreasoflearninganddevelopmentare:
The oflearninganddevelopmentare:
OurProvision
Weplanourclassroomlayoutsochildrencanaccesstheirownresources andbeindependentlearners.ThisiscalledContinuousProvision,which areasoflearning.TheNurseryteamwillalsoplanenhancementspartof whatwecalltheEnhancedProvision.Itmayberelatedtothechildren’s interests,curriculumcontent,religiousfestivalsorimportantevents.
ProgressTracking
Children’sOnlineLearningJournals(Tapestry)provideparentswith aclearviewoftheirchild’stimeatSchoolandthesehelptheeasy, trustingdialoguebetweenhomeandSchool,bothinformallyandin regularparent/teachermeetings.
OurNurseryfollowsaKeyPersonsystemwhichmeansthateach childwillhaveahigherlevelofindividualcareandattention.Each
helpingthemtosettleintoNursery,makingsuretheirneedsare beingmetatalltimesandallowingnaturalbondstoform.
Withthe additionof: 1 5 Communication& LanguageDevelopment Personal,Social& EmotionalDevelopment Physical Development Literacy Understanding theWorld Expressivearts &design Technology Mathematics
Learning:
PlayingandExploring-childreninvestigateandexperiencethings,and ‘haveago’
ActiveLearning-childrenconcentrateandkeepontryingifthey
•CreatingandThinkingCritically-childrenhaveanddeveloptheirown ideas,makelinksbetweenideas,anddevelopstrategiesfordoingthings. theirtwoyearsinNursery.Timeisdedicateddailytomindfulnessactivities,suchasbreathing inouroutdoorlearningareas.Ourtailoredpersonal,socialandemotionaldevelopmentprogramme
Play-basedLearning
Thereisabalancebetweenadult-directedteachingandchild-initiated learning.Inboththeindoorandoutdoorenvironments,childrenlearn throughplay-basedandhands-onexperiences
Mathematics
Childrenspendtimedevelopingastrongunderstandingofmathematical concepts,usingarangeofadult-directedteachingandchild-initiated investigation,whichisextendedinthesecondyear(Oaks).
Phonics
InAcorns,oureducatorsfocusonlisteningtoandidentifyingsounds ThisiscontinuedinOakswhereblendingforreadingbegins.Weusea combinationofJollyphonics,ReadWriteInc.andLettersandSounds phonicsprogrammes.
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8 PastoralCare
Music
Withour musicprogrammeonceaweek,concentratingonpitch,volumeand followingasteadybeat.Theyexperimentwithsongs,rhymesand percussioninstrumentsandareencouragedtolearnsongswithactions, showinggoodlisteningskillsandexpressionintheirperformance.
PhysicalEducation
Acornschildrenhavetheopportunitytoinvolvethemselvesonceaweekin physicalactivitieswithourPEteacher.Thisisextendedtotwiceaweekin Oaks.Lessonsarestructuredinaplayfulway,allowingNurserychildrenthe opportunitytobroadentheirphysicalskillsandexploremovement,also usingarangeofequipmentfromtheGamesDepartment.
French
FrenchistaughtonceaweekbyourspecialistFrenchteacherwhoteaches acrosstheschool.Wordsandsongsarerelatedtothecreativecurriculum andarangeofpropsareusedtokeepthesessionsfunandexciting.
8:45-9:00
AcornsOaks
8:30-9:00
Childrenarriveatschool.
9:15-11:10
Play-basedlearningactivities. OutsideplayinourSustainableplayground.
11:45
Childrenfrommorningsessionarecollected. Childrenfromfulldaysessionarehavinglunch.
12:15-13:00
Rest/Sleeptimeforfulldaysessionchildren.
12:45-13:00
Childrenfromafternoonsessionarriveatschool.
13:00-15:00
CurriculumactivitiesandOutsideplay.
15:45
Childrenfromafternoonsessionarecollected.
15:00-17:30
Startoftheafter-schoolcare.
Childrenarriveatschool.
9:00-09:55
Play-basedlearningactivities.
09:55-10:25
OutsideplayinourSustainableplayground.
10:25-11:40
SnackTime. Curriculumactivities.
11:40-12:45
Lunchinthehall. OutsideplayinourAdventureplayground.
12:45-15:00
Play-basedlearningandCurriculumactivities. SnackTime. Storytime.
15:00-18:00
Childrenarecollected. Startoftheafter-schoolcare.
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Yourchildwillencounter 'activelearning'intheoutdoors.
Outdoorlearningtakesplaceintherecently refurbishedNurseryplaygroundWedesigned ourplaygroundwithclearareastolearnand play.Thechildren’sgrossmotorskillsare supportedbyanimaginativepirateshipand climbingarea.Wehavealargesandpitanda designatedgardeningareaThereisalsoplenty ofmessyplayinoursandpit,mudkitchenand waterpipeOurplaygroundencourages collaboration,imaginationandgivesthechildren environment.
InOaks,childrengetachancetoexperienceour ForestSchoolinourLowerSchoolsiteoncea week,accumulatingvariousoutdoorskills
Thechildrenenjoyadelicious, nutritiouslunch,prepareddaily on-sitebytheChefandhisteam.All dietaryneedsandallergiesare cateredfor.AcornsandOakseatin theLongHallwiththeirfriends.A selectionoffruitandhomemade dessertsarealsoavailableeveryday. Thechildrenareprovidedwitha healthysnackeachmorningand afternoon.
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Allofourlunchesare prepareddailyon-site.
TheNurseryispartofDevonshire HouseSchool,basedinNo.6 ArkwrightRoad.Ithasgood-sized rooms,excellentfacilitiesandan amazingoutdoorplayarea.
Thedécorislight,brightandairywithplentyof spaceforthechildrentoexplore.Our environmentiscarefullyconsideredtoensure
positiveandinasafesecureandstimulating environment.
sustainableapproach
reallifeobjects,andnaturalandupcycledtransientmaterials.
OurNurserySchoolhasbeenfullyrefurbishedduringthe Summer2023withnewbeautifulandadaptedfurniture.
Childrentakeautonomyintheirlearningexperiencesandmove aroundtomakechoicesfreely,guidedbyadults.
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AglimpseintotheNursery’sschoollife…
Throughouttheyear,childrenwilltakepartinavarietyofactivitiesandeventssuchas;
•VisitfromaPettingFarm
•TriptothelocalGroceryStore(Acorns)
•ChristmasandSummerperformances
•ChineseDanceWorkshop
• DramaWorkshop(Oaks)
TeddyBearPicnic(Acorns)
•SportsDay
ExamplesoftripsduringtheOaksyear;
•NaturalHistoryMuseum
•ParadiseWildlifePark
•LondonWetlandCentre
•KeatsLibrary
•BatterseaParkZoo
•GoldersHillPark
Weencourageourfamiliestoshareanyreligiouscelebrations thattheytakepartintoensurewecanplanandcelebrate theseimportanteventswiththechildren.Acrosstheyear, familymembersarewelcomedintoschooltodiscusstheir jobs,introducefamilytraditionsormeetingbabysiblings.
TransitionEvents
Termpreparingeachchildforthetransition intoOaksorintoReception.Childrenhave plentyofopportunitiestomeettheirnew teachers,suchasstorysessionsanda wholemorningspentintheirnewclassroom duringourMovingupDay
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ChildrencanenterNurseryintheschoolyearfollowingtheirsecond birthday(Acorns),ortheirthirdbirthday(Oaks).
Forchildrenaged2to3yearsold(Acorns FullDay-8:45amto3:00pm
HalfDay-Morning-8:45amto11:45am
HalfDay-Afternoon-12:45amto3:45pm
WraparoundCare-8:30amto5:30pm
Forchildrenaged3to4yearsold(Oaks FullDay-8:30amto3:00pm
WraparoundCare-8:30amto6:00pm
IfyouhavenotalreadyhadanoptionalprivatetourwithourHead,Henry Keighley-Elstub,andyouwouldlikeone,pleasecontactAdmissions.We wouldbehappytoarrangethisforyou.
EntryintoOaksfromAcornsisautomatic.
ContactourAdmissionsteam: on02074351916oradmissions@dhprep.co.uk
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2ArkwrightRoad,Hampstead, London,NW36AE
02074351916
admissions@dhprep.co.uk
www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk
