Nursery
"Anything that you can teach in an indoor classroom can be taught outdoors, often in ways that are more enjoyable for children.''
We provide caring, stimulating, yet safe environments where children can learn, explore and grow.
Here at the nursery we want the children to feel safe, take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, share their feelings and grow
Tiny Tuskers (ages 2 to 3) and Tuskers (pre-school year) is a truly unique childcare setting for our youngest learners. Our dedicated and highly skilled nursery team provide a high quality early years education, which encompases all of the curriculum areas of the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage).
Teaching and learning in our Nursery is designed to develop and encourage independent learning. The experiences are well planned based on a child’s spontaneous play, both indoors and outdoors. Your child will also benefit from outstanding teaching from subject specialists, further enhancing and enriching their day. From age 2 your child will have lessons in tennis, music, PE, French, dance as weekly forest school (Tuskers)/woodland walks (Tiny Tuskers) where they will explore and learn within our unique setting. When your child turns 3, they will also begin their in school swimming lessons in our 25m indoor swimming pool. All of these activities support and enhance the EYFS curriculum and provide additional opportunities for your child to grow, explore and thrive in a supportive, engaging and fun nursery setting. The children spend 2-3 years in our Nursery before transitioning across the playground into our Reception classes.
-
Children are welcomed into Tiny Tuskers aged 2. From September 2024 they must have had their 2nd birthday by the 31st August of the academic year of entry.
2024-2025 entry- DOB 1st Sept 2021- 31st August 2022
2025-2026 entry-DOB 1st Sept 2022- 31st August 2023
2026-2027 entry- DOB 1st Sept 2023- 31st August 2024
They then move up to Tuskers the next year following their third birthday. We have a minimum session requirement of five sessions for Tiny Tuskers children and six sessions for Tuskers children.
-
At St Neot’s, we have a very gentle settling in policy. The main focus is on ensuring the children are happy and settled in their environment and that they are developing good relationships.
-
Staff in Tiny Tuskers and Tuskers work closely with the children and gain an in-depth knowledge of each individual, so that activities can be planned accordingly to support their foundational knowledge, whilst embedding the necessary key skills and attributes. Activities are fun and engaging; providing daily opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge across the three prime areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional; Communication and Language; and Physical Development. These areas cover the knowledge and skills which are the foundations for children’s school readiness and future progress, and which are applied and reinforced by four specific areas: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts, and Design. Planning for these activities is done with input from the Early Years team as a whole, ensuring that an extended and thorough curriculum starts in Tiny Tuskers and builds as they move along their educational journey.
We follow Phase 1 of the Government’s Letters & Sounds program in Tiny Tuskers and Phase 2 in Tuskers which allows the children to be involved in a variety of fun activities in small groups which focus on developing children’s speaking and listening skills and laying the foundations needed to be able to go on to be effective readers and writers.
We track each individual child and their progress from their first day with us, throughout their journey. This enables us to provide an individualised approach that helps each child reach their full potential. Children benefit further from specialist teaching, utilising the grounds and facilities of the school. The children have a wonderful time each week engaging in: Woodland Walks (Tiny Tuskers) and Forest School (Tuskers) Tennis, PE, Music, French, Dance and Swimming (after their third birthday).
-
At St Neot’s we understand that parents often need flexible child care. We offer a combination of term time places, including extended hours provision (from 8am - 6pm) if required. We also offer holiday provision, which is run by the same staff members in the Nursery, providing excellent childcare for 50 weeks a year. (Holiday club hours run from 8am - 5pm, daily)
-
Tiny Tuskers and Tuskers children enjoy a healthy morning and afternoon snack, as well as a nutritious and freshly cooked hot lunch; prepared on site. Tea is also provided for those staying for the extended hours.
-
Parents are key partners in each child’s learning journey, so there are daily opportunities to discuss your child, with a detailed handover at the end of each day. We operate an ‘open door’ policy, which ensures an ongoing flow of communication. Parents are able to stay updated on their child’s learning and milestones through our online journals. A weekly school newsletter keeps you updated with activities and we offer termly parents’ evenings, as well as biannual school reports.
-
During each child’s journey through our nursery, strong ties are developed with the wider community and the Pre-Prep, to ensure that their transition into Reception is seamless. Entry into Reception is automatic for every Tusker child. Children become familiar with the facilities and teachers across the school, through their specialist lessons and involvement with whole school activities, such as performances, sporting events and special days like World Book Day. Tusker’s children join the Pre-Prep for lunch everyday in the dining room, becoming familiar with the routines and expectations. They make use of the Pre-Prep play areas and visit the Reception classrooms throughout the year. Reception teachers work closely with the Tuskers teachers, moderating learning, planning for individual needs and scaffolding the curriculum so that each child is known intricately on entry to Reception.
