Nursery
Ivingswood Academy Nursery aims to offer high quality provision, learning and care for children aged two to four. From September 2022, we now offer 30 hour provision for children.
Our team of friendly staff are committed to:
- Easing the transition between home and school, so your child settles well and is happy to stay with us and you feel confident they are in safe hands.
- Ensuring that your child feels valued and secure.
- Helping your child develop positive relationships with other children and staff.
- Getting to know you and your child and catering for their individual needs and interests.
- Encouraging positive attitudes to lifelong learning.
The Areas of Development and Learning comprise of 3 prime areas:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
There are 4 specific areas:
- Maths
- Literacy
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Understanding of the World
Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered by our setting will help your child to continue to do this by providing them with interesting activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.
Young children develop and learn mostly through active play. Quality play is chosen by the child, and promotes high levels of activity and concentration. Staff sensitively observe the children’s play interests and join in when appropriate to extend their learning.
More information about the guidance we follow can be found at the following websites:
All our Early Years staff have a wealth of experience and are committed to providing high quality learning experiences to the children in the setting. Every child is allocated a Key Person so that we are able to support and get to know parents and children. We plan for each child's individual needs, through activities and experiences designed to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding, taking into account their interests. We have our own separate outside area as well as sharing a large playground, garden and grassed area with the Reception class. We also utilise the main school environment, using the school hall, field and visiting the spinney with the children.
We welcome parents in to play and read with their children from 8.45 until 8.55 every day. We are aware that your child is very precious and that leaving them can be difficult. We want your child to enjoy their time with us and for you to feel confident that you are leaving them in safe hands. We work with you to ensure your child settles well and you feel confident to leave them in our care.
Children are able to choose from a wide variety of toys and activities in our well-equipped classroom and outside area. During the morning the children sit down for a drink of milk or water and a wide range of healthy snacks, sharing this time with their key person. Before going home children gather together for story time or singing.
We work closely with the Reception class in the Summer term, ensuring children who will be moving up get to know their new teachers and become familiar with the environment before they start their new class.
Come & Play Mornings
We regularly hold "Come and Play" mornings where parents and carers are invited into the Nursery and Reception classes to join in with activities and see their children playing and learning. All the dates are in school newsletters and on notice boards in Early Years.
Home Learning Matters
We recognise how important learning at home is and encourage all parents and carers to be involved in their child’s learning journey. Research suggests that children’s achievement is influenced 80% by home and community and 20% by schools. Children’s attainment is increased by 15% if parents engage with their child’s education.
We will ask you to complete a Needs & Interests form and an observation sheet each term. This enables us to have a greater insight into your child’s life outside school. We can then plan activities based on their developmental needs and what captures their imagination.
We encourage all children and parents to access our well resourced (and ever expanding) Home Learning Library. The library includes books, puzzles, toys, games, den making kits, cookery bags and activities for you and your child to share at home.
How you can help
It really helps us have more time to help your child if you…
- Name everything clearly.
- Put your child in jogging bottoms or something with an elasticated waist. Skinny trousers, dungarees, baby vests, tights, zips and buttons all slow down your child from being able to go to the toilet themselves or for us to change their nappy.
- Make a comfort card for your child. We look at these often and they are a valuable resource each child should have in their tray.
- Call us when your child is absent and follow up with a note when they return.
- Talk to us! We love to hear about what your child gets up to at home. Finding out about what is going on in their life helps us to plan activities based around your child’s individual needs and interests.
Admissions
Please see below for our admission policy. Children can attend Nursery from their 2nd birthday. We currently charge £15 per session. Some funding for 2 year olds is available. Please ask for more information or follow the link for more detail Buckinghamshire Council website- Click here
All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for 15 hours free childcare each week. We also offer 30 hours provision.
Application forms can be collected from the school office, once we receive this your child will be placed on the waiting list and contacted by the Nursery Manager when a place becomes available. Pupils are only admitted into Nursery at the start of each term.
