WHY CHOOSE A SCHOOL NURSERY? BY MRS RACHEL E HARRIS, HEAD OF PRE-PREP AT BARROW HILLS SCHOOL open spaces, woodland, playgrounds, sports fields, Astro, covered play areas… maybe even a swimming pool! Inside, nursery children will be able to use the school dining hall and practice eating yummy meals together with their friends, teachers and older children. Going out to the beach or visiting a farm? No problem – simply jump on the school minibus.
Looking for a nursery can be quite overwhelming at first, especially when there is so much choice from privately-run day nurseries, local authority nurseries and community nurseries. Some nurseries provide childcare year-round, some are open term time only, and many offer wraparound care options.
are warmly welcomed into the wider school community from the very moment they pass through the school gates.
Nurseries set within schools are now gaining in popularity, with children generally joining from their second birthday. Let’s explore why this is and what the benefits are for children at nurseries within a school setting, as opposed to a standalone nursery.
At prep schools, children will often join as two year-olds into the nursery class but that’s not all. They will also be joining ‘Pre-Prep’, the section of a prep school which extends up to age 7. They will start to join in with school activities such as raising money for charities alongside their elder peers in Reception and the rest of the children. Mums and dads can join parents’ associations and children will be immensely proud of their very first school uniform!
A SENSE OF BELONGING Children at school nurseries thrive socially, cognitively, emotionally and physically. They
FANTASTIC FACILITIES Children will benefit from using all the prep school facilities on offer. These may include wide
PEUX-TU CHANTER UNE CHANSON EN FRANÇAIS? With prep schools catering for children up to Year 8, they are able to offer nursery children access to specialist teachers. How does learning to sing a song in French sound? Mastering the castanet with your nursery friends in the music room? Building a bug hotel in Forest School or learning how to plié in the ballet studio? RECEPTION ON THE HORIZON All nursery age children – no matter which nursery you choose - will grow in independence, learning to put on their own coats and shoes, and learning how to use the toilet, whilst supported by caring staff. But at a school nursery, they will develop a close link with those children already the Reception class, looking up to them as role models. When the time comes for children to move into Reception themselves, they will already know their Reception teacher and Nursery staff will still be around for questions and support, making for a seamless transition. n
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