CHARTERS ANCASTER
Nursery and Forest School
I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead Charters Ancaster Nursery and Forest School during this exciting period of growth and development. Having been involved in the nursery since 2006 in many capacities, I am keen to continue the warm family atmosphere, the varied outdoor experiences and I will work in partnership with our parents and staff towards providing outstanding outcomes for the children in our care.
I feel we are so lucky to have at our disposal the extensive facilities, which the staff can use to create exciting learning environments for the children in age-appropriate rooms. Through the Seven Areas of Learning, we are able to facilitate activities that promote and embrace each child’s unique potential and aid their holistic progression towards their future life.
I have a particular interest in Special Needs and Disabilities as I have been the Nursery SENCO (Special Needs Coordinator) for a number of years, I am also committed to encouraging our families to follow healthy lifestyles so that our children have the best start in life.
Before your child starts at Nursery, you are welcome to have a ‘show around’ when a member of staff will show you around the Nursery premises and introduce you to the staff. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions about our provision and share any information about your child with the age appropriate Room Leader. Either our Nursery Manager or her Deputy/SENCO will usually be available to meet you. If neither are available, then the appropriate room leader will show you around.
Once you have registered your child at our Nursery you will be offered some ‘settling in’ sessions in the class of your child’s age group. The first session will be for about half an hour when you can stay and play with him/her. Following this session, your child can stay and play for longer when you either go into another room or go to ‘do some shopping’. There is no charge for these sessions.
Our staff are experienced in settling young children and they will advise you on the appropriate steps: sometimes it can take a few sessions; sometimes it can take longer. We always ring parents if we feel their child is not settling and is unhappy. We value parents’ knowledge of their own child and we are happy to work with parents to help each child settle at his or her own pace.
Every day and every week, our room staff plan activities to engage the children by following their interests but also extending their knowledge and skills by introducing appropriate new topics and activities.
They make observations on each child so that they are aware of the stage of development the child is at and are able to plan his/her next steps to promote the child’s learning. The observations may take the form of notes, photos or videos and these are uploaded to Famly. The parents can then access this through email and a personal password. We encourage parents to add their own observations and photos too so that we get a fuller, rounded picture of the child concerned.
Each child has a ‘Keyworker’ who is responsible for the learning journey, ‘next steps’ and getting to know the child well, but all staff in the room aim to develop a relationship with every child.