Nursery on the Hill provides a highly stimulating, educational, loving and safe environment where children develop naturally at their own pace. We ensure every opportunity exists for children to maximise their own potential.
We follow the principles laid down in the Casterbridge Curriculum of childcare and early education. The Casterbridge Curriculum is a child centred approach to learning & development and it values and respects children as unique individuals. We put in place all that is needed to ensure children strive in an environment which promotes their happiness, security, capability and independence.
The nursery environment also ensures that nursery activities and resources aid children in achieving the six Early Learning Goals (see information on the Early Years Foundation Stage).
Planning for our children’s nursery education starts with the child. Staff observe their key children daily and make notes on their observations in order to plan how they can further extend and support the child’s learning and development in specific areas. Key staff at the day nursery and preschool use their observations to plan the following days or weeks activities, recording both adult lead and child lead activities and ideas. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s learning though various different strategies adopted by the nursery.
Children’s own work and creations are valued through discussions, displays and recognition. Staff inform parents each day what their children have been doing to enable parents to discuss and share these experiences with their child.
Our Ofsted report said 'All children thrive on plenty of praise and encouragement from practitioners who are excellent role models. They are spoken to respectfully and in turn children are respectful toward others and learn to work collaboratively together. They show pride in their achievements, which are decorated throughout the nursery. The behaviour management techniques used promote children's welfare, confidence and self-esteem exceptionally well.'
