Caterpillars 0 – 2 years
Babies are making new discoveries every day; our baby room is well equipped with everything a baby could need. High staffing levels enables staff members to really get to know their key children, to identify their next steps in their development and help them make massive strides towards the early learning goals.
As well as a nurturing dedicated baby team on hand to give lots of cuddles and conversation; our babies have suitable resources; including an abundance of different textured play toys, stimulation from mirrors and play books. Babies are also provided with a wide range of treasure baskets and sensory materials to develop their exploration skills.
The baby room is specially designed area where babies can explore, roll around and get to grips with becoming mobile. Our babies feel secure and safe in these caring environments.
Babies sleep, eat and play routines are personalised to suit their individual needs.
Butterflies 2 years – 3 years old
As children begin learning more about themselves and the world around them, they want to explore further, experiment and make their own decisions. There are many opportunities for exploration, balanced by a routine with regular quiet times. With the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) planning and observation system in place the staff team will be actively encouraging your child’s interests, offering them further opportunities to explore. Within these rooms, they start to prepare for pre-school, so self-selection of activities and independence is encouraged throughout the day. Activities are creative, with sand and water always available, plenty of indoor and outdoor physical play, and opportunities for role play and imaginative games.
Preschool 3 – 5 years
Our Preschool room is a lovely large room with free flow into the garden all day long. They also have opportunities to use the big garden during the day too.
There are exciting activities on offer for the children each week; varying from trips to Sutton Park/Streetly Library and learning how to cook.
Whilst in Preschool they will be getting school ready by learning to be independent in certain skills; such as toileting, putting on their own coat/shoes and learning phonics. By the time they leave Preschool they can recognise their own names and also, some if not all, the letters in it.
Once they finish Preschool to move onto their next adventure we have a graduation to celebrate all the achievements the children have made with us.
In Preschool we offer additional activities to help get the children school ready, these include:
• Monday – Sports
• Tuesday – Yoga
• Wednesday – Dance
• Thursday – French Lessons
• Friday – Nature school
Our Curriculum
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow an Early Years curriculum, school reception classes.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework supports an integrated approach to early learning and care. It gives all professionals a set of common principles and commitments to deliver quality early education and childcare experiences to all children. We use the 7 areas of development in our planning and ensure we are meeting the children’s needs so that they can play and learn happily in ways which will help them develop skills and knowledge across all the areas of learning.
The planning and observation system in place the staff team will be actively encouraging your child’s interests, offering them further opportunities to explore. It ensures that if your child is having difficulties in a particular area it will be picked up and addressed as quickly as possible.
The children love the opportunities for gardening, growing and exploring nature. During the year we get chicks and caterpillars to show them the life cycle, the children all find this fascinating.
Trips and outings
At Little Explorers we believe that the best way for children to learn is with hands on experiences. Therefore we take the children out of the nursery on local outings; to the shops, Sutton Park, Blackwood Park and many other places.
We also take them on trips using coaches, minibuses or pubic transport. The children have been lucky enough to go to the farm, zoo, sea life centre, think tank, theatre, fire stations and other amazing places.
Tapestry and Baby Days
At Little Explorers we use an electronic management system called Baby Days. This gives you feedback throughout the day straight to your phones/tablets. You can see what your child has eaten, when they had their nappy changed, how long they slept for, if they had an accident and much more. We are using this to keep you updated but to also help the planet by using less paper.
Little Explorers Day Nursery staff uses Tapestry to make regular observations on the children’s learning and development, allowing us to ensure that all children’s needs are met to the best of our ability. These observations will be available for you to view at any time. Parents and carers have a huge important role to play in their child’s education.
“It is important for parents and early years settings to have a strong and respectful partnership. This sets the scene for children to thrive in the early years” (EYFS 2023)
Extra Curriculum
Music Sessions
Rainbow rhyme comes in every weeks on alternating Mondays and Wednesdays to teach the Caterpillar and Butterfly children new songs, music and much more.
In Preschool we offer additional activities to help get the children school ready, these include:
• Monday – Sports
• Tuesday – Yoga
• Wednesday – Dance
• Thursday – French Lessons
• Friday – Nature school
