The Garden at Kingswood

Children from Reception through to students at university have had their lives affected and their learning disrupted in a way that nobody could have predicted or would have wanted. However, for our youngest children in The Garden at Kingswood it has happily been very much ‘business as usual’, albeit with far more frequent handwashing!

The children have adapted remarkably well to some of the changes that we have had to make to ensure that we all stay as safe as possible. Dropping off babies and toddlers at the front door to staff would have been unthinkable prepandemic but the children adapted quickly (and so did the parents) and it became perfectly normal for them to say goodbye with barely a glance over their shoulders. Social distancing is a tricky concept for a baby or toddler to grasp so the Nursery was perhaps the only place outside home where cuddles and hugs were both acceptable and expected! ...for our youngest children it has happily been very much 'business as usual'...

If you had been able to come inside the Nursery, you would see that the children’s days are filled with engaging activities with staff thinking carefully about what they want the children to learn. The staff share the children’s interests, listen to their ideas and offer tools, provide guidance and support to enhance their learning. If a child doesn’t enjoy messy play but loves dinosaurs then a tuff tray full of brightly coloured jelly and gloop might just be the thing to entice them to roll up their sleeves and get their hands immersed.

Our children in the Nursery have always loved getting outside to play and explore our beautiful school grounds; this year we have been out and about as much as possible. The addition of a Yurt in the Secret Garden has enhanced our Pre School children’s Forest School experience. It has enabled them to spend a whole day out of the classroom playing and learning in a magical and inspiring setting. Forest school has enabled us to provide a unique educational opportunity for our children using the outdoor environment as their classroom. We have seen the children gain confidence and develop their communication and language skills prompted by their sensory experiences. Activities at The Yurt have helped them to develop their physical skills and their ability to work both independently and as part of a team. They have also extended their knowledge and understanding of the natural world, developing what will hopefully be a lifelong love and appreciation of the world around them.

In The Garden, just like the rest of Kingswood, we work hand in hand with our families; the relationships we build with our parents is an important part of what we do. We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of our parents for their ongoing support. We are also very fortunate to have a hard working team of staff. Their commitment, dedication and desire to put children at the heart of everything they do has helped to ensure that The Garden has continued to grow, develop and go from strength to strength.