Our Rooms and Nursery Curriculum
Within our Little Hedgehogs, Little Squirrels and Little Badgers rooms, we follow and work closely with the Birth to Three Matters framework. Babies and children are encouraged to stimulate all aspects of their development through an extensive range of opportunities and activities. It’s all designed to be great and exciting fun! Our staff carefully plan activities for children, which are differently designed to meet the needs of all involved.
Little Hedgehogs: Babies 6 weeks - 1 year
Your baby's home routine will be followed. In babies' first years, the excitement of sound, sight and touch are well accompanied by a series of special firsts. Our staff provide the highest of expert care in an environment which encourages babies to learn through play. There is direct access to outside play areas. Babies will spend each day exploring and investigating the surrounding environment, playing with sensory toys, interacting with adults and other babies and listening to stories and music.
Little Squirrels: 1-2 years
Your baby's home routine will be followed. Clever Clogs provides a safe and interactive learning environment where children can investigate and explore their surroundings. Within our Little Squirrels room, children spend their day having fun with a range of educational/developmental toys and resources and are encouraged to express themselves through play, building their independence and confidence. There are many opportunities on offer each day and the children have independent choice. These include: sensory play, messy/creative play, construction area and role play/dressing up. There is also direct access to an outside play area.
Little Badgers: 2-3 years
Your child's home routine will be followed. We do encourage a basic routine, which allows us to prepare children for the move into pre-school. Children are encouraged to develop at their own pace so that they can grow and thrive. In our caring and loving environment, children will be involved in all aspects of development and learning, where they can explore and learn through a wide range of educational and fun toys. Our toddlers benefit from areas that include construction, creative/messy play, circle time area, a reading corner and a home corner. Children also enjoy direct access to outside play areas.
Little Owls: 3-5 years Pre-School
Within this room, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum in preparation for your child starting school. Activities are planned around the six areas of learning:
- Communication, Language and Literacy
- Social and Emotional Development
- Mathematical Development
- Creative Development
- Knowledge and Understanding of the World
- Physical Development
Various themes are planned to encourage children to work towards the early learning goals. Differentiated activities are planned daily, with the aim to encourage children to maximise their potential in advance of starting school. Our Pre-School children benefit from many areas, including a reading corner, small world and construction, computer table, mathematical area and creative/messy play area. There is also direct access to outside play areas.
We offer Nursery Education Funding from the government. Children are entitled to a maximum of five sessions per week and will qualify for this the term after their third birthday.
In all of our rooms, we promote early personal hygiene. In our Little Squirrels, Badgers and Owls rooms, sinks and potties/toilets are nearby for children to learn and develop their concepts of early personal hygiene and to fulfil potty/toileting requirements. Clever Clogs staff will promote and support this at all times.
Sleep Room
We have a separate sleep room, where babies and children will be able to have restful sleep without any disturbance from other activities. Babies and children are able to sleep in cots, in pushchairs or on bed mats - this will be in accordance with their home routine. The sleep room has vision panels and will by monitored by staff at all times. We play soothing music, ensuring relaxation and comfort and any dummies, teddies or blankets will be given to children for sleep times.
Parents/carers are given the opportunity to purchase individual cot mattresses and/or bedding, which will be used for the sole use of their child. Bedding is changed and washed after use by each child.
Outdoor areas
We have three outdoor areas with different facilities to encourage physical development of all of our children. All rooms have direct access to these areas to ensure our children get lots of fresh air and exercise. These areas are fully enclosed and are monitored by CCTV at all times.
Upstairs
We have two large spare rooms upstairs for extra activities, as well as a fully equipped kitchen, office and staffroom.