Loving care and fresh air
The Swans Room
Yew Tree Farm House
Beech Hill Road
Spencers Wood
Reading
RG7 1HR
This is a cosy room is based on the first floor. The age range is 3˝ to school age, and we can accept 24 children at a time. The ratio is 1 adult to 8 children.
The Swans room is based on developing independence. The morning snack is “freeflow”, where a table is set up with drinks and a choice of food for the children to help themselves. When finished, they clear up after themselves and return their name card. The children also serve their lunches under adult supervision.
In addition to various free activities, the children also participate in educational time where they participate in maths activities and and the inital steps of reading. Reading time is informal, where they join an adult, either on their own or in pairs, choose a book, fiction or non-fiction, with words or without, and listen to the story. They practice turning pages, learn the sequence of a story, and discuss the book afterwards. When they are ready, we build up an understanding of how pictures and sounds help to read.
The children take part in gym time. They keep a gym kit at nursery and take part in activities such as balancing, and music and movement. This allows the children to practice getting dressed and undressed for PE, ready for “big school”.
The children have named pegs with their photographs on for all their belongings. The children use a plastic school bag where there pictures, books and any notices will be put, ready to take home.
The parents board shows what each child has been doing that day, but when the group joins the Cygnets downstairs, the information is kept in a book which staff will refer to when giving parents information about the day. The weekly plan is displayed in the cloakroom showing the activities the children will be doing.
