What is life like at Ark Swift’s Nursery?

Children arrive at the Nursery from 8.40am. At Ark Swift we encourage children’s independence from early on. Children say goodbye at the door, drop their belongings and self-register independently. They then complete a range of activities to develop their fine motor skills.

Children are greeted by their key worker. Our key workers are an important part of your child's learning and development, as they will work with them on a 1-2-1 basis and know them very well.

Children learn through play, and which is why our timetable focuses highly on Exploration Time. Children are provided with a wide range of exciting and stimulating resources and activities that promote their learning and independence. They have the opportunity to work independently and with adults during the day, which supports their development across all areas of the curriculum. Short adult-led carpet sessions equip children with the skills they will need to develop their learning in maths, literacy, phonics and topic. Children are also encouraged to join their friends at the ‘Snack Bar’ to have some fruit and milk during the day.

Children stay for lunch. Parents are invited to choose between providing their child with a packed lunch or opting for them to receive a school meal. The Nursery staff help children to enjoy their food and make healthy food choices. During lunchtime children enjoy socialising with their friends and playing team games.

Children feel comfortable and confident to explore whilst respecting each other and the environment. They are taught how to keep themselves safe and how to build friendships.

Curriculum

Our Nursery’s topics and activities are planned around children’s interests, which are used to promote active learning and engagement. We believe that every child is unique – children learn in different ways, so we provide a range of experiences to support this.

At Ark Swift, we aim to immerse children in each topic by having valuable shared experiences. For example, whilst learning about ‘Our Colourful World,’ the children visited Shepherd’s Bush Market to buy materials to make a patchwork quilt like Elmer’s! The children were so excited to choose their piece of fabric and help to attach it together. At the end of the topic, we celebrated with ‘Elmer’s Special Day,’ and children wore their own special clothes and celebrated with their friends. We are lucky to have a large outdoor environment where children continue their learning in our Performance Area.

The Early Years team work very closely together. During exploration time they often share both the outdoor and the indoor environment. Children have access to a range of open-ended resources. These resources allow for rich speaking and listening opportunities as they need to share their ideas and plans, explain their think to collaborate and create together. In Nursery children will start to problem solve naturally and what they create will get more and more complex through continuous access.

Children not only interact with a rich environment but also with knowledgeable, skilful and enthusiastic staff. Adults in Nursery extend and develop children’s language and communication in their play. They also extend children’s thinking skills with a range of carefully planned questions.

Uniform

Children at Ark Swift wear the Nursery uniform which is designed to accommodate their learning and play.

Starting School

We believe that children who attend our Nursery are provided with the building blocks they need for starting their school education. The Nursery and Reception team work closely together to ensure that children are well prepared for the transition into Reception.