Inspiring young minds
HEADMASTER’S WELCOME We are privileged as a school to welcome children from the age of two to our wonderful site and to see them grow and flourish in their time here. The Westonbirt Nursery setting and curriculum is designed to offer children the best start to their education experience by providing everything that they need for a fulfilling, engaging and enjoyable time at school from the day that they arrive. We are a family-centred school and you as parents should feel as much part of our community as your child. We understand that starting school or nursery at any age can be daunting for parents and children and we are here to support you on that pathway. This document details all of the incredible things that our staff provide on a daily basis and we aim for children to be inspired, nurtured and prepared for the future but most of all, for them to be happy. A childhood only happens once and here at Westonbirt, we ensure that we make the most of it!
NURSERY MANAGER’S WELCOME One of the many things I love about working at Westonbirt Nursery is the abundance of outdoor space. Play is at the centre of everything we do and we are blessed with 210-acres of parkland for the children to explore as their playground. Being part of an established school community provides the nursery children with an insight into the exciting world of Westonbirt and the many opportunities on offer as they grow. We love to be part of the action, whether this is cheering on runners at cross country events, attending weekly assemblies, participating in sports days or watching prep productions. Children at Westonbirt Nursery and Westonbirt Prep are happy, independent, engaged and sociable learners. They form strong relationships with their peers and the staff who care for and teach them. At nursery, we wholeheartedly encourage children to: Be Curious Our free-flow provision is full of immersive, open-ended play experiences that spark curiosity! Children are encouraged to take the lead, explore and experiment. We like to think of ourselves as ‘Partners in Play’; building on the children’s interests and scaffolding their learning. Be Creative The nursery team spend time getting to know each of the children and their families. The knowledge they glean from time playing and observing allows them to plan a dynamic curriculum full of creative learning opportunities. We sing, we dance, we imagine, we wonder, we combine, we build and we do it all with a smile on our faces! Be Courageous Developing a growth mindset from an early age promotes confidence and progress across all areas of learning. Mistakes help young brains to develop and enable children to make informed decisions regarding their learning. We encourage bravery wherever the curriculum takes us, and if things don’t go quite to plan, we show resilience and perseverance and have another try. I look forward to welcoming you to Westonbirt Nursery. Amy Friend Nursery Manager
THE LITTLE OWLS 2 – 3 years
Welcoming children from the age of two-years-old, the Little Owls is the first step on your child’s Westonbirt journey. The Little Owls enjoy a warm and nurturing environment where specialist staff inspire a love of learning through fun activities, free play and wonderful outdoor experiences. Every day is an adventure for the Little Owls as they enjoy extensive use of our wonderful outdoor space. Weekly Forest School sessions and exploring nature are a large part of the Westonbirt Nursery experience. The Little Owls benefit from the same weekly and termly topics as the older groups in nursery and enjoy an exploration-based curriculum which is enhanced by carefully planned play opportunities. Where possible, nursery staff tailor children’s routines to individual needs and there is a dedicated quiet room should your Little Owl require a nap after lunch.
THE ROBINS 3 years +
When children reach three years, the Robins room offers a fun stepping stone on their path to upper nursery. The Robins’ core programme is supplemented by a range of exciting and dynamic activities including music, physical education, Tappy Toes dance, Forest School and an introduction to our swimming programme. The Robins is a nurturing environment where staff inspire children to reach their potential through fun learning opportunities, termly topic work and learning through play. Robins children are at the preparation stage for their pre-school year and the provision allows them to learn from their peers, develop socially and enhance their love of learning.
THE PEACOCKS Pre-school
The Peacocks are the oldest children in nursery. The focus in the pre-school room is to nurture a lifelong love for learning while preparing children for the transition to Reception. Daily phonics and number sessions are inspired by fun monthly topics such as ‘outer space’, ‘life cycles’ and ‘people who help us.’ The children also learn about the wider world through the celebration of a range of cultural festivals. Lessons are designed to deliver a broad ranging curriculum based on the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and are tailored to ensure that each child progresses at their optimum pace. The Peacocks utilise the incredible outdoor spaces at Westonbirt to benefit learning. Whether it is investigating the leaves and flowers in the Italian Gardens, enjoying a wellie walk through the meadow or cooking in the spinney at Forest School, outdoor learning plays a huge role in the life of the Peacocks. In addition to twice weekly swimming lessons, Forest School and Tappy Toes dancing, the Peacocks enjoy regular sessions with the Reception class in Westonbirt Prep. This helps to familiarise them with the routines and expectations of school life ahead of their start at school.
EYFS CURRICULUM The Nursery Manager works in partnership with teaching staff at the prep school. The nursery team tailor individualised plans for each child, providing them with the skills necessary to thrive when they begin their formal school journey. At Westonbirt, children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework during their time in all three nursery classes and in Reception. These formative years of education serve to prepare children academically and socially for school life. In 2019, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rated Westonbirt as “excellent for academic achievement and pastoral care” and inspectors highlighted that “in the Early Years Foundation Stage, all children make very good progress in relation to their age and development.” The Westonbirt Nursery curriculum is designed to deliver beyond the staples of literacy and mathematics and achieve a broad and inspiring educational programme, tailored to ensure that each child progresses at their optimum pace. Daily activities are carefully planned to develop critical thinking skills and ‘characteristics of effective learning’ which will help children demonstrate understanding of the seven core areas of learning outlined within the EYFS framework. Many key skills are embedded within play, while others are taught directly through more formal lessons. Consideration is always given to the needs of each child and activities are differentiated to ensure potential is reached.
SWIMMING LESSONS Children begin their aquatic journey in the Robins room with an introduction to swimming. As they move into the Peacocks, they enjoy twice weekly swimming lessons in the 25-meter heated swimming pool at Westonbirt. Lessons are led by a swim coach and specialist swimming teachers. The focus is initially on water confidence and then on developing technique across multiple swimming strokes. As well as being great fun, swimming lessons provide fantastic life skills for nursery children. The Peacocks and Robins walk to the leisure centre for their weekly swimming sessions and learn to change independently into their swim wear as part of developing skills for life.
TAPPY TOES Children at Westonbirt Nursery enjoy weekly Tappy Toes dance classes. These sessions are a great way to introduce toddlers and pre-school children to exercise at an early age and encourage them to build healthy habits for life. The benefits of dance are endless and include increased confidence, developing social skills, fine motor skills, coordination, balance, posture, body strength, following instructions, creativity, rhythm and musicality. Tappy Toes classes support the early stages of learning and development and set children in good stead for starting school, as well as promoting physical and mental wellbeing.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION We are blessed with a vast amount of space and natural beauty at Westonbirt and utilise our incredible surroundings to benefit children’s learning. Whether it is dressing as ancient Greeks in the Italian Gardens, conducting science investigations in the meadow, cooking in the spinney during Forest School or simply enjoying a walk through the 210 acres of parkland grounds, outside activity plays a huge role in life at Westonbirt. We are very much an outdoor school and believe that the benefits of physical activity and fresh air are extremely important. From the very smallest nursery children, we encourage pupils to learn and play in the inspiring spaces at Westonbirt as often as possible, making the most of their learning and of their childhood. All three classes in Nursery enjoy weekly Forest School lessons in our woodland spinney and benefit from the vast experience of our accredited Forest School teachers.
NURSERY FOOD At Westonbirt Nursery, children are encouraged to try new foods and to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Delicious fresh food is prepared on-site in the school kitchens each day and our fabulous catering team work hard to accommodate dietary requirements. Every week, nursery children enjoy ‘food explorers’ sessions where they learn about new and interesting cuisine from around the world, experiment with different textures and smells, and discuss oral hygiene and why they must clean their teeth. Nursery children are supported in becoming as independent as possible and encouraged to use knives and forks and ceramic plates. The children eat in the dining hall with the prep pupils to help them understand social routines and expectations and to immerse them into the school community.
TRANSITION TO RECEPTION Nursery children play an active and valued role in the Westonbirt School community. Exposed to enriching and rewarding opportunities within the wider school community, nursery pupils take part in sports days, swimming galas and school assemblies. For some children, the transition to starting school can be daunting so the Peacocks spend a lot of time with the reception class to gradually integrate and fully prepare children for the move. In the summer term, the Peacocks’ focus turns to school readiness and developing the fundamental skills needed for starting school. A series of ‘moving up’ sessions are held so that children can get to know their new teachers and classrooms. Westonbirt Nursery children are fully supported in the transition to Westonbirt Prep. The strong sense of community at Westonbirt ensures that families are engaged with this move and encouraged to embrace all that is on offer in life at Westonbirt School.
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Westonbirt School, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QG T +44 (0)1666 880333 E admissions@westonbirtschool.uk www.westonbirt.org