Giving every child the very best start to their education has always been vital.
The need for the strongest possible foundation has never been more important than it is in the wake of what has been an extraordinary year. While uncertainty raged throughout 2020 and into 2021, Nurseries consistently provided exceptional care, stability and a nurturing environment for those children who continued to go each day. At Ashford, ‘Always Be Caring’ underpins all that we do. We Always aim high, are appreciative and open to inspiration. We remind our children constantly to Be positive, true and brave, and we teach them throughout their time with us to Care for themselves, for others and for the environment.
You as parents and guardians are tasked with finding a partner to help you navigate the early stages of your child’s education and an outstanding nursery education should be just this. ‘Inspiring Minds’ is an essential part of ensuring each child enjoys Nursery and derives the maximum benefit from their time with us. Their experiences, their joy in learning and their encounters with great people shape their choices, their motivation and their appetite for hard work and future success. Parents and educators share a common goal, guiding children through their early years and giving them opportunities to socialise, learn and discover new things in a safe and happy environment.
However, the benefits of an outstanding Nursery education go far beyond keeping children safe and happy during uncertain times. They will get so much more from their time at nursery and a good nursery will give them the tools they need for the next stage of their education. The first such tool is the value of children having really well-developed language including learning to become highly articulate with an extensive and useful vocabulary. As a result, children develop a passion for books and literature along with a deep interest in communicating successfully with their peers and adults.
Then there are the crucial attributes such as resilience, motivation and confidence in laying down the attitudes for long term success in education and beyond. These skills are developed by encountering a wide range of activities and challenges as well as discovering that the real satisfactions and achievements in life come after many attempts and disappointments as well as having plenty of encouragement and support. So, in our nurseries, alongside the core curriculum areas, children are presented with activities such as singing, swimming, dancing, ball skills, French and creative opportunities which allow them to learn to work hard, persist, listen and aim high.
There has never been a time when it has been made clearer that we cannot control everything around us. So, children need to be prepared to adapt, move with the times and understand what they can and cannot change. We teach children to celebrate their achievements and those of the children around them. We help them to think about the wonders of the world around them and appreciate what they have. They learn to understand their own and other people’s feelings which teaches them tolerance and patience.
However, children with a truly outstanding Early Years’ experience can move from dependence on others to becoming independent and then onto a more sophisticated understanding of our inter-dependence. By learning about themselves and those around them they learn to be kind, thoughtful and supportive. They develop self-esteem, flexibility, adaptability and co-operation as well as how to stand up for themselves and stay safe. They learn to become good citizens who care for each other and look after themselves.
Ashford Nurseries are truly outstanding because we:
- Look after and really care for each child in a safe and nurturing environment – Always Be Caring
- Understand the importance of working with parents and keeping them well-informed
- Get to know the children really well so we are clear about where they are and what they need to do next
- Design a broad and well-structured curriculum which underpins the continuous provision and learning activities to inspire young minds
- Plan to ensure each activity has a strong learning intention that includes developing the vocabulary and understanding of the topic as well as the skills which it seeks to teach
- Use deep questioning skills that allow children to develop their comprehension and reasoning
- Model good diction, sentence structure and strong expressive language
- Provide the opportunity for children to discover things for themselves as well as learning to think and problem solve.
