Nursery Parents’ Handbook
Welcome
We are delighted to welcome you to Junior King’s Nursery. Our Little Barn Nursery is situated in the idyllic surroundings of the Pre-Prep at Junior King’s School and provides the foundations for children to make the most of their abilities as they grow and develop in our safe, secure and happy environment.
Our Nursery is an exceptional, purpose-built building, called Little Barn. It is a warm, nurturing and welcoming environment situated safely within the PrePrep at Junior King’s.
We believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life and support children to fulfil their potential as they start their learning journey. We achieve this by working with the Education Programme set out in the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Children are at the heart of all that we do, and learning opportunities are planned around their interests within a thematic
approach. It is a well-known fact that happy children learn, and that they need to learn, through a range of well-planned and purposeful play activities.
We provide a range of flexible sessions and invite parents to explore options more fully in discussions with the Nursery Teacher. The Nursery is a wonderful start to your time in the Pre-Prep and we look forward to your child starting their journey with us.
Camilla Webster Head of Pre-Prep
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Our Aims
We aim:
To provide a welcoming atmosphere for all children and parents
To provide a happy, caring, safe, secure and stimulating environment where children can develop lively, enquiring minds
To enable your child to develop as an individual and as a member of a wider school community
To help your child develop a confident self-image, self-motivation, independence, tolerance and resilience
To value and develop children’s curiosity and creative thinking, giving them time to develop ideas, celebrate their efforts and their learning
To work with all our parents and families in the education of their child
To celebrate diversity and be fully inclusive in everything we do
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A Few Questions Answered
HOW IS LEARNING STRUCTURED IN OUR NURSERY?
The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) is a play-based curriculum from birth to five years. This curriculum therefore spans from our Nursery to the end of the Reception year. Broadly, there are three ‘prime’ areas:
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
These areas are the crucial building blocks that we concentrate on at Nursery. As children grow and develop emotionally and academically, they are introduced to four specific areas, namely:
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive Arts and Design
We recognise that every child develops in a unique way and no two children are the same. We therefore encourage each child to engage and enjoy their learning activities. We are fascinated with how children learn. As part of the curriculum, we work with you to develop the characteristics children need to be effective life-long learners. These are:
Playing and Exploring
• Finding out and exploring
• Playing with what they know
• Being willing to ‘have a go’
Active Learning
• Being involved and concentrating
• Keep trying
• Enjoy achieving what they set out to do
Creating and Thinking Critically
• Having their own ideas
• Making links
• Choosing ways to do things
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LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND CONTINUOUS PROVISION
We firmly believe that the learning environment is the third teacher (Emilio Reggio) and therefore our indoor and outdoor spaces have the children at the centre of their design.
Our Nursery classroom is a natural, calm and clutterfree space, with wonderful opportunities for investigating and exploring around the room.
We pride ourselves in our continuous provision, which provides (as it says on the tin!) continuous learning for the
children without them realising it… we call this secret learning. For example, when children play in the role play area, as well as playing alongside friends and using their imagination, they might be recognising numerals on a till, counting cakes into a bag and choosing coins to pay; a secret maths lesson!
Our talented Nursery staff enrich the environment and enhance the provision daily and weekly, so the children can extend their play and learning. This helps us to tailor activities to specific children and their interests, it’s a great way to teach and learn and the staff at Junior King’s enjoy every minute.
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I BRING MY CHILD TO NURSERY?
Nursery children can be brought right to the Little Barn Nursery and handed safely over to one of the Nursery staff.
You might like to park in the car park by the astro, or in The Hamels and cut through the PrePrep, either is fine.
8.00am – 8.30am: Children arrive and register
8.30am: The Nursery day begins 11.45am: Lunch
1.00pm: Morning session ends 3.30pm: End of Nursery day (except Wednesdays, when the day ends at 3:00pm)
3.30pm – 4.15pm: Late Club* 4.15pm – 6.00pm: Twilights*
* These are designed to be Pre-Prep clubs - please do enquire about signing up.
DO THE CHILDREN WEAR SCHOOL UNIFORM?
As the Nursery is part of the PrePrep, we do recommend buying some, or all, of the suggested Nursery uniform.
NURSERY UNIFORM LIST
Winter Uniform
• White School Polo shirt*
• Hooded School tracksuit top*
• Navy jogging bottoms (must be plain)
• Navy or white socks
• Navy blue or black Velcro fastening shoes
• School coat*
• Wellington boots
• School hat (woollen)*
• School scarf (optional)*
Summer Uniform
• Navy blue shorts (must be plain)
• White School Polo shirt*
• Hooded School tracksuit top*
• Navy or white socks
• School hat (summer)
Please note: all items marked with * must be purchased at the King’s School Shop, further details are in the Pre-Prep Handbook.
All clothes must be named with sew-in name tapes and trainers/ shoes named with stick-in labels. It is also helpful if your child’s name is clearly visible on the outside of their P.E. bag.
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WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE?
Full change of clothes in a school P.E. bag
A blanket & teddy (if staying all day)
A water bottle
Suncream
Sun hat
Wellies
HOW CAN I PREPARE MY CHILD FOR NURSERY?
Experience new things before your first day
Practice leaving your little one with someone else
Sharing and taking turns
Playing games and sometimes losing!
Opening and drinking from their water bottle
Putting on coat, shoes and wellies
Independent with toileting
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CAN WE USE THE FREE EARLY EDUCATION ENTITLEMENT?
We are open 32 weeks of the year, term-time only and offer a weekly maximum of 15 hours Free Early Education Entitlement to children aged 3 to 4 years who attend our Nursery.
We offer a morning, afternoon or a full day place and the funding may be claimed to a maximum of 3 hours per morning session that your child attends. You may wish to consider a combination of mornings and full days.
Sessions are charged either as mornings commencing at 8.30am and finishing at 1.00pm, including lunch, or full day, finishing at 3.30pm (3.00pm on Wednesdays).
WHEN CAN MY CHILD START?
We can accept children into the Nursery from the term in which they turn 3 years of age.
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