
Our philosophy:
Each child is an individual:
At Mary Poppins our philosophy is to encourage children, through play, to explore life in a safe and secure environment. Building your child’s confidence, self-respect and respect for others remains an integral part of our approach.
We endeavour to promote learning through play based teaching which promotes the 7 areas of learning as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Outcomes. We take a child centred approach to learning which means looking at what we offer through the eyes of your child and are guided by what inspires and motivates them, listening to the child’s voice.
We believe children learn best in a relaxed environment and we endeavour to provide an atmosphere where every child makes the most of their abilities. We know children develop at different rates using both indoor and outdoor areas, and by treating them as an individual we believe children will thrive and become ‘school ready’.
Our Mission/vision
Our mission is to provide a childcare service that prepares your child for the future. We use an interactive approach that allows nursery staff to work with one child at a time promoting their individual next steps, planned around each child’s interests and needs.
Early Years Foundation Stage Framework:
The nursery incorporates the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) to support and develop children’s play and learning. This was implemented September 2008 and updated in 2013. The Statutory Framework for the Early years foundation stage (2017) will be adhered to at all times.
The EYFS covers birth to five years and promote the overarching principles:
A Unique child: every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self assured.
Positive relationships: children can learn to be strong and independent
Enabling environments: the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s learning and development in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents/carers.
Learning and development: children learn in different ways and at different times in all areas of learning and development. The framework covers the education and care of all children in the Early Years Provision including children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Aims and Objectives:
The aim of our nursery framework is:
To enable all children to learn and develop their skills to the best of their ability
To promote a positive attitude towards learning
To promote self-discovery, exploration and curiosity towards learning
To promote an ethos of mutual respect and kindness, and a sense of what is and what is not acceptable codes of behaviour
To help children understand the importance of truth and fairness so they begin to learn the importance of equal opportunity and British Values.
To endorse and support children’s high self-esteems so they have the confidence to try. Mary Poppins nursery advocates the importance of the process of learning and not necessarily the end product.
To promote the EYFS outcomes and characteristics of effective learning.
Organisation and planning:
The planning of activities is carried out in three phases.
Long term
Medium term
Short term
Loose themes are discussed in planning meetings with key staff in each room at regular intervals. In addition, key workers plan for the individual needs and interests of the children in their group.
Planning within the EYFS covers 7 areas of learning and development:
Personal, Social and emotional development
Communication and language
Physical development
Mathematics
Literacy
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design
Children’s overall development in these 7 areas is tracked termly.
At Mary Poppins we are passionate about equal opportunities for all. We have a dedicated SENCO whose role it is to work with any child who may have Special Educational Needs. We adhere to the SEND policy.
Partnership with parents and outside agencies is a vital component of the EYFS. Children who benefit from support and a positive approach to play and learning, offer children an excellent foundation onto which future learning can be built.
The Nursery Manager is responsible for the day to day organisation of the nursery, ensuring staff are fully trained on the EYFS. An amalgamation of evidence of children’s learning is captured on a daily, weekly and termly basis though observations, individual learning journeys and trackers which is monitored and checked at termly at moderation for progression, inclusion and trends by the manager and shared with parents/carers.