“A secure, safe and happy childhood” is what we aim to provide at Sevenoaks Day Nursery, but we’re also very mindful of each child’s learning and development needs:
Personal, social and emotional
As their confidence develops the children become more independent. Eating, washing after visits to the toilet, putting on shoes and coats are managed without help. They have time to make friends, and build up relationships with children and adults. They learn to be thoughtful and kind to each other and be well mannered.
Communication and language
The children are encouraged to communicate their ideas, listen to stories, follow instructions, sing and perform simple plays. Staff are always on hand to talk, listen and answer questions.
Physical
In the outside play area the children use large climbing equipment, balancing bars, bicycles and balls. Indoors, finer skills are developed using pens, pencils, Lego, Multilink, scissors and puzzles.
Expressive arts and design
The children do painting, gluing and plenty of 'hands-on' messy play. Stories, music and movement, acting, dressing-up and face paints all provide opportunities for self-expression. Once a year the children put on a performance for parents, friends and the local community to enjoy.
Mathematics
Children learn by matching, sorting, counting, measuring, sequencing etc. through the appropriate board games, beads, bricks, measures, scales and other areas of play.
Understanding the world
Children have a chance to experiment, predict and describe what they see. They enjoy weather observations, weighing and measuring, growing seeds. They are encouraged to discuss their discoveries and ask questions.
Literacy
We encourage children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. We have a wide range of reading materials (books, poems etc) to fire their interest.
How you can help your child
Our nursery staff, with over 100 years’ service at Sevenoaks Day Nursery between them, are always on hand to discuss your child’s progress; to offer advice and guidance or lend a sympathetic ear, but, more than anything, to support you in determining what’s best for your child. Read more on the Keeping You Informed page.
Outside of the Nursery, the foundationyears.org.uk website is a mine of very useful information. We’ve also included pdf versions of the ‘Parents’ Guide’ on our Useful Information page along with a more detailed guide on ‘What to expect, when?’.
