PARENT INFORMATION Nursery
Nursery 0 - Dragonflies
Nursery 1 - Otters
Nursery 2 - Kingfishers
Welcome Message
Term Dates
Meet The Team
The Nursery Day
C O N T E N T S
Nursery Sessions
Curriculum
Enrichment
Information for families
Communication
Working in Partnership
FAQs
MESSAGE WELCOME
There has always been the belief that protecting the magic of childhood should be at the very core of the school’s ambitions Orwell offers pupils a stunning 110-acre site in which they learn, laugh, explore, make mistakes and grow. Magnificent grounds, buildings and facilities are of immense value, but the school is most proud to be able to have such a talented and dedicated team of staff who inspire, spark joy and always put the best interest of each child first: this is where the Orwell magic is truly brought to life.
Orwell’s size allows each child to be known as an individual; small class sizes and a superb boarding provision ensure that the school community has a truly ‘home from home’ feel. Underpinning all this is first class teaching and the academic ambition for every pupil to thrive As a school, we are genuinely proud of the fact that leavers move on to leading senior schools across the country, with an impressive average of around 25 each year earning scholarships and exhibitions The icing on the Orwell cake is the extraordinary range of extra-curricular activities that are on offer – outstanding provision for Music, Art, Drama, DT and Sport is complemented by forest school and bushcraft, an observatory, an assault course, sailing and trips abroad including places as far flung as India and closer to home in France.
Young people develop their character, confidence and creativity from a range of platforms and with unwavering support and encouragement. We ask simply that they throw themselves into all that is on offer here, live by the school's values and are kind.
My time in education has taught me the importance of collaboration, partnership and trust, and it has always been my ambition to ensure a positive and supportive learning environment for all pupils in order that every individual will thrive. I am excited to be joining Orwell this year and look forward to working with you, your children and the staff The school has eyes firmly on the future and is genuinely aspirational There is a strong team here and we will work with you to bring out the very best in your children
If you are a current parent, my door is always open. If you are a prospective parent, I look forward to meeting you and sharing first-hand the Orwell magic.
Simon O’Malley Head
MEET THE TEAM
Simon O’Malley
Head head@orwellpark.org
Hayley Lloyd
Head of Lower Prep DDSL Year 4 Class Teacher hayleylloyd@orwellpark org
Vikki Wiggins
EYFS Leader DDSL, Year 1 Teacher
Reception Class Teacher vikkiwiggins@orwellpark org
Dianne Middleton
Dragonflies’ and Otters’ Keyworker diannemiddleton@orwellpark org
Danielle Rogers
Kingfishers’ Keyworker daniellerogers@orwellpark.org
Katy Smith
Lower Prep Music Teacher katysmith@orwellpark org
Joe Durham
Year 2 Teacher, Forest School Leader joedurham@orwellpark.org
Poppy Hudson
Lower Prep PE Teacher poppyhudson@orwellpark org
Tara Corbett
Nursery, Games Teacher taracorbett@orwellpark org
Julie Kostrzewski
Lower Prep Higher Level Teaching Assistant julietaylor@orwellpark org
Alex Kemsley
Deputy Head (Academic), Lower Prep French Teacher alexkemsley@orwellpark.org
8:00 - 8:30am Early Start (bookable in advance)
8:30am - 11:30am - Morning session
11:30am - 12:30pm - Lunch
12:30pm - 3:30pm - Afternoon session
3:30pm - 5:00pm - 3yrs+ After School Club
T H E N U R S E R Y D A Y
NURSERY SESSIONS
Please see our table of fees and session times for each Nursery class.
Note: Areas marked in grey indicate those sessions that may be limited or unavailable due to your child’s age.
Nursery 0 - Dragonflies (2-2.5 years)
We are only able to offer Monday and Wednesday mornings to children aged 2-2 5 years
Nursery
1 - Otters (2.5-3.5 years)
Any combinations of sessions can be booked across the week with a minimum weekly commitment of 3 sessions a week.
Nursery 2 - Kingfishers (3.5 years +)
Any combinations of sessions can be booked across the week with a minimum weekly commitment of 3 full days or 6 sessions
OUR CURRICULUM
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in Nursery and Reception classes, in addition to an accredited Forest School programme In EYFS, your child will gain many new skills through seven recognised areas of learning:
Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding of the World
Expressive Art and Design
Learning through play is crucial for young children's development; at Orwell Park, we pride ourselves on providing play centred activities that promote social skills, collaboration, communication and problem solving.
Play is a natural and enjoyable way for children to learn and develop essential skills. It integrates physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth, making it a holistic approach to early childhood education.
Children in the Nursery are taught by class teachers with some subject specialists enhancing our curriculum offering further in subjects such as:
Music
PE
Forest School
Ballet
French
Nurturing a love of reading and books is essential in early language development All Nursery children participate in an accredited phonics programme each week, learning to recognise letter sounds (phonemes) and form written letters (graphemes) Knowing that all children progress at individual rates, reading books are carefully chosen to match each child’s reading development
We expect families to read with children at home daily
Children attending Orwell Park Nursery are exceptionally well prepared for Reception, with many already reading and writing, equipped with increasing resilience and positive attitudes to School
Forest School
Weekly Forest School sessions are led by Mr Durham and Mrs Lloyd - both qualified Level 3 Forest School practitioners.
We aim to provide two Forest sessions a week for Nursery, maximising opportunities for as many children as possible to benefit from our enchanted forest environment
E S
E N R I C H M E N T O P P O R T U N I T I
Ballet
Ballet tuition is offered for children in Nursery with Miss Chloe, a Royal Academy of Dance accredited teacher from the Eastern Dance Academy Ipswich. Ballet tuition is booked directly with Miss Chloe and details on how to sign up are provided in our termly enrichment letter. Payment is made in advance of each term directly to Miss Chloe.
Music
A weekly music lesson with our dedicated music teacher, Mrs Smith Children in Kingfishers also join a choir session with our Reception class
French
Children in Kingfishers will have a weekly French lesson with Mrs Kemsley, our Deputy Head (Academic)
PE
All Nursery children take part in weekly PE lessons with Miss Hudson, our Lower Prep PE teacher. Children will develop fundamentals of movement and physical literacy aligning with the statutory early years curriculum.
INFORMATION SCHOOL UNIFORM
In the Nursery, there is no mandatory uniform However, most parents choose for their children to wear a simplified uniform, detailed below Older Nursery children may choose to wear The Lower Prep uniform (see below), once they are toilet trained and confident dressing themselves
For younger Nursery children, or those who prefer a more casual style, we recommend the following practical and comfortable clothing:
For girls: A School plain forest green polo shirt with navy blue leggings, joggers or shorts, and a School navy sweatshirt
For boys: A School plain royal blue polo with navy blue joggers or shorts, and a School navy sweatshirt.
Although we have a small supply of clothes, please provide your child with a complete change of clothes to keep at School (in case of little accidents). If your child has recently been potty trained, we ask that more than one change of clothes be provided daily. Please provide plain black or dark coloured shoes or trainers with velcro fastenings (no open toes). Your child will also need a pair of wellington boots to keep in School and a navy blue coat to wear to and from School, and for outdoor play (wet weather suits for Forest School are provided). Please ensure your child has a sunhat, preferably with a neck covering, as we are outside a lot! We have a small supply of hats available if needed. Navy blue is our preferred colour
Finally, please ensure that all of your child’s items of clothing and possessions are clearly labelled with his or her name Please also help your child practise putting clothes on and off at home, especially coats, to aid their growing independence
WHAT SORT OF FOOD WILL MY CHILD EAT WHILE AT NURSERY?
Break times
We provide a snack of toast for the children every day at around 9.15am. This routine forms part of their personal and social education. In Nursery, afternoon snacks include fruit and occasionally a biscuit
Lunch
All children have a hot main course and a choice of pudding or fruit served each day: every meal is nutritionally balanced We eat in ‘family’ style in the Main School dining hall, good manners, use of a knife and fork, and trying a little of everything are all encouraged. We will always ensure they have eaten something, with a filled roll or sandwich offered if they have not eaten any of their main course
Water
Each child will need to bring in a personal, named water bottle which is kept in the classroom Please fill bottles with water only as squashes and juices can leave a sticky residue when spilled
Please let your child’s teacher know if your child has any special dietary requirements, and provide any additional GP/specialist notes/reports or information which will be helpful to staff
WHEN TO RETURN TO SCHOOL?
in The Lower Prep are dealt with by ncident is recorded and you will be p at the end of the day
with by the School Nurses, Emily Your child will be taken to the School ur child’s emergency contact the case - please ensure all contact
fore a School day, please do not lowing morning. Please call the 225) before 9 00am to inform us of from Public Health England to advise your child can attend School.
us to give your child medicine during the day, you sign a form giving us permission.The medication will ppropriately and dispensed by a trained member of
en to have sun cream applied before the School day ease provide a roll-on sun cream in a named container if your child will need help to reapply during the School day
COMMUNICATION
Correspondence
You will receive a weekly Lower Prep newsletter to inform you about the week ahead in The Lower Prep, including the menu for School dinners At the start of each term, learning posters informing you of the curriculum opportunities in your child’s class are shared, along with a letter detailing additional enrichment opportunities you may wish to take up
SchoolPost is the official secure online communication tool used to distribute letters and information, particularly relating to consent forms, trips and visits
In Nursery, each child is assigned a ‘Key Worker’, in keeping with the EYFS recommendations for all settings At Orwell Park, our Key Workers are Dianne Middleton for children in Dragonflies and Otters (aged 2+) and Danielle Rogers for children in Kingfishers (aged 3+) Parents/carers are able to speak to their child’s Key Worker when dropping off in the morning Should you wish to have a more in depth chat, please speak to Danielle or Dianne to book an appointment
Hayley Lloyd (Head of Lower Prep), and Guy Musson (Headmaster), are available via appointment and can also be seen at the Pre Prep entrance (Hayley) and Main School entrance (Guy) most mornings
Tapestry
Tapestry is an online learning journal that helps teachers, parents, and carers record and track a child's development and learning journey through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). It can be used to create an individual learning journey for each child, and to link information to the EYFS curriculum
We encourage families to share photos and videos of your child’s learning experiences at home too You can upload onto Tapestry. Support in navigating this platform is provided in a Parent Information Session.
Parent Information Sessions
We work with parents to support and nurture all children and encourage families to attend information sessions relating to:
Tapestry Phonics
Reading with your child
Early mathematics
WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP
Friends of Orwell Park Reps
Each class has a parent representative who is there to help all parents in the class and welcome new families to the School Your parent rep will put you in touch with other parents in the class, be able to give information about events that involve parental support, and be able to answer general questions
If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding your child, please contact your child’s class teacher or key worker in the first instance
Reporting on progress
Twice a year, there are opportunities to formally meet and discuss your child’s progress with their key worker In addition to this, parents receive an end of term report in December, April and July.
If you have a query or concern about your child’s progress, please do not wait until the formal parents’ meetings, discuss this with either the class teacher, Hayley Lloyd or Vikki Wiggins
Coordinated approach
Good partnership and communication between home and School enables children to thrive. Please keep us informed of anything which may affect your child in School, and we will do the same
We treat all information in confidence and ask that you utilise open methods of communication with School rather than using public channels
Supporting success at home
There are simple things you can do to support your child’s success at Nursery:
Independence - encourage your child to dress, do up their own coat and recognise their name
Manners - we expect children to use ‘please’ and ‘thank you ’ and ask for your support in helping your child to use a knife and fork, sitting nicely at the dinner table
Good hygiene - encourage your child to toilet independently and wash their hands afterwards
Read every day - If a child is read to daily, they will have heard approximately 296,660 words by the time they are 5 years old!
Writing readiness - when choosing to mark make, encourage your child to use a tripod grip.
FAQS
Can my child bring toys into Nursery?
We ask that toys remain at home where they are safe However, if your child has a comforter, they may bring this to Nursery. Please ensure it is clearly named.
Does my child need sports kit?
PE in Nursery is based around movement and the EYFS milestones relating to balance and coordination Children do not need additional PE kit at this stage
Does my child need Forest School kit?
School provides waterproof overalls for all children to use when participating in Forest School or outdoor play should weather conditions dictate We are outside in all weathers so please provide named sun hats and warm hats as appropriate. Gloves are recommended for colder weather.
Where can I purchase uniform?
School uniform is available from:
COES
20-28 Norwich Road Ipswich IP1 2NH 01473 256061 www coes co uk
Second Hand uniform shop
The school operates a used uniform shop Specific details about opening hours and how to purchase are shared termly The shop is run by a dedicated team of parent volunteers
We thank you for choosing Orwell Park Nursery and very much look forward to working closely with you to give your child the best possible start!
