Early Years Centre
About The Early Years Centre
The Early Years Centre is a calm and welcoming setting based for children aged 2-5 years. We are open 42 weeks of the year, making us a Term Time setting. We aim to engage our children in the highest quality play by creating nurturing authentic and effective play in an environment, both indoors and outdoors which represents the changing world around them.
We ensure that positive, caring relationships based on trust and respect are at the heart of our philosophy. We have a clear vision of what we want to achieve together; To provide a safe, happy, caring, secure and stimulating environment for all children.
We want to enable all children to develop their capabilities as successful learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens, to equip our children with skills for learning, life and work, ready to actively grasp and follow their dreams in the future and to develop a culture of ambition and achievement.
What We Offer
The Early Years Centre offers meaningful interactions between staff and children, through our teaching environment, using ‘in the moment’ planning to embrace the children’s different interests whilst learning. We trust our knowledge of the children’s next steps and provide invitations to suit each area of learning to meet their Early Years Outcomes.
We are currently working towards The Curiosity Approach, which we believe benefits the children and invites them to play and learn bringing awe and wonder to each child’s day, through authentic and real life resources.
We also provide a Montessori Teaching Environment. The Montessori philosophy
believes every child is born with their own natural drive for learning. In the
prepared environment, the children are given the freedom to choose their own
activities based on their developmental needs and interests, guided by a qualified Montessori Teacher.
Partnering with Parents
We recognise that parents are their children’s first and most enduring educators. Each child has a designated Key Person whose role of working in partnership with parents is given the utmost importance. When parents share information about their child, this information supports their child’s in-the-moment planning, the individual curious and authentic resources needed to plan for the next steps in their learning. Through excellent communication, practitioners discuss with parents how they can support learning at home and parents. We offer ‘Parent and Partnership Bags’ which support parents at home with various important aspects of their child’s early years development from Oral Hygiene to Welcoming a New Arrival.
Rise & Shine Wrap Around Care
We also operate Wrap Around Care called ‘Rise and Shine’. We strive to provide high standards of care and provide a range of varied and stimulating activities. Currently, we operate our service to Before and After School care needs of those attending St Bridget’s Primary School.
Nutritional Meals and Healthy Eating
Here at the Early Years Centre, we are a nut-free setting. The children bring their own healthy packed lunch boxes and are offered rolling fruit snack throughout the day, with access to their own ‘Hydration Station’.
We offer a two-week menu for our Rise and Shine children, offering healthy, nutritious after school teas. These menus are changed twice a year to suit the seasons.