Nursery

The Nursery at Skippers is housed in a purpose-built building for our children aged between two and four years old. Our small class sizes and high staff to child ratios ensure that the unique and natural talents of every child are recognised and encouraged from the moment they start at Skippers. Regular parent consultations, individual learning journals and our open door policy ensure that parents are provided with continual updates on their child’s progress. Our Nursery team consists of highly qualified specialist teachers who are assisted by enthusiastic, dedicated and fully qualified teaching assistants.

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Welcome to Nursery

With our Nursery being available for parents throughout the year, the children benefit from an excellent education 48 weeks a year, Monday to Friday from 8.15am to 5.45pm.

National and regional statistics confirm that a high percentage of Skippers’ children are judged as exceeding the expected level of development by the time they leave the Nursery and transition into the Pre-Prep.

There are many contributory factors to the excellent outcomes for our very youngest children: our close and supportive relationships with parents; highly trained and committed staff; and the wonderful environment in which we are lucky enough to work and play.

At the heart of our practice here at Skippers is our regard for the children’s well being. A safe and happy child will absorb experiences, make links, develop new connections and feel free to experiment with their learning. From a first experience of Skippers at Fun Fridays, our smallest children are given the time to make attachments with our teachers, become familiar with the school environment and feel safe and comfortable here. Our ‘Settling In’ policy is adapted for each individual child, to ensure that those vital attachments with parents and carers are supported whilst the transition takes place.

The Skippers’ focus of ‘Healthy Minds and Healthy Bodies’ is paramount and has always been at the forefront of our practice. The concept of ‘Healthy Bodies’ is included as part of the EYFS Framework of physical development. One of our Nursery team is a gymnastics coach who teaches the children once a week in an extra PE session; this provides the children with the opportunity to take part in a pre-gymnastics programme and work towards earning their badges and certificates which are presented in assembly. We invite parents to come and watch a demonstration and share in the children’s success.

Learning is regularly taken outdoors and our Woodland Learning programme enables children in the Nursery to engage in regular activities designed to help develop an appreciation of natural and living things.

The close proximity to the children in the Pre-Prep allows for lots of joint activities to take place with children in Reception and Years 1 and 2. This, along with weekly whole school assemblies and regular events, enables the children to have a seamless transition from the Nursery into the upper part of the school. There is a fantastic relationship between the Nursery and all of the older children at Skippers and children of all ages benefit from spending time with the youngest children in the Skippers’ community, be that at break or lunch time or reading with the children in the afternoon.