Pre-School Room
Welcome to our Pre-School Room!
The Pre-School Room at Castle Lane Day Nursery is for children who have left the Tweenies Room and are preparing to go to school in approximately one year’s time.
Having left the Tweenies Room, our Pre-Schoolers are generally very confident in their movement and gross motor skills so there’s lots of energy and enthusiasm to channel in this room!
This room can be alive to the sound of music and movement, as the children enjoy joining in with songs, stories and group discussions.
But this can also be a quiet room, where we encourage reflection and the ongoing acquisition of fine motor skills, through smaller group work doing colouring, drawing, writing and cutting out.
Our emphasis in this room is to continue building on their skills and confidence levels, offering a mixture of structured and free play and the combination of fun and more educational activities.
In line with our overall ethos at Castle Lane, this room also works hard to foster a caring environment in which the children are encouraged to share and be kind to each other.
What’s the ratio of Castle Lane staff to Pre-Schoolers?
The Pre-School Room welcomes a maximum of 32 children per session, with a 1:8 ratio of staff to children to ensure that we can support each child’s individual age and stage of development.
What is the Castle Lane Pre-School Room like inside?
Our Pre-School Room is buzzing with energy and like our Tweenies Room, is a large, bright and welcoming space, allowing space for plenty of movement and messy activities.
We have set aside a constantly changing Role Play area which is designed to providing the children with their own space to let their imagination run free!
Featuring items such as a shop, post office or garage, the Role Play area is changed regularly and the children love engaging in lots of imaginative and purposeful play with each other.
Our Pre-Schoolers also have regular access to our large outdoor adventure playground.
What will my child do in the Pre-Schooler Room?
The children in the Pre-School Room are provided with more structure than the Tweenies Room, in preparation for their transition to school.
We work to a thoughtfully planned curriculum, taking into account each child’s interests.
So for example, we might start the day with circle time, welcoming each child in the room using a song and noting what day of the week it is – along with the weather.
Then children will spend time doing discovery activities such as Lego building or instrument making as well as creative activities such as messy play, painting or sensory exploration.
There is always time in the day for group story telling as well as individual reading. And lots of cuddles!
We offer lots of learning and discovering opportunities, including learning more about the wider community; cultures and special events.
Children in this room explore and learn through conversation. Particular emphasis is put into developing sharing and turn taking.
As with all our rooms, the children in the Pre-School Room thrive from well qualified and enthusiastic members of staff who support them to learn in a nurturing and loving environment.
Working to encourage independence in the Pre-School Room
In preparation for their transition to primary school, our Pre-School Room staff work with each child to encourage greater independence, helping them, for example, to learn and maintain a hygienic toilet regime, where they know to wash their hands after each visit.
We also encourage more ordered, seated meal times, just as they will be expected to do at school.
What is provided in the Pre-Schooler Room?
Castle Lane provides all your Pre-Schooler’s food. All you need to supply is a change of clothes.
Can you help my child make the big transition to primary school?
Yes, of course!
We assign a team member as a dedicated key worker for your child as soon as they join the Pre-School room. They will get to know and build an important relationship with your child, so that they can feel fully supported during this period of transition.
Keyworkers (and the team in general) closely monitor the progress of each individual child in the Pre-School room, completing a report for each one based on a holistic view of all areas of learning and development.
As a parent, you will receive regular verbal and online reports using ‘Tapestry’ throughout the year and be asked to attend Parent’s Evenings to discuss your child’s progress and any questions or concerns you might have about their development.
Your child’s final report and Early Learning profile will then be sent directly to their primary school.
All our pre-school children are invited to attend a special ‘graduation’ celebration event just before they leave for primary school. It can be an emotional event for us all as they move on to ‘big school’ – you might want to bring tissues!
Read our article ‘8 tips to help get your child ready to start school‘.
Can parents come and visit the Castle Lane Pre-School Room?
Yes of course. If you are interested in learning more about our Pre-School Room and how it might suitable for your child, then please do get in touch.
We would be delighted to welcome you to Castle Lane so you and your child can meet our team, view the facilities and learn more about us.
Alternatively, call us on 01858 468006 to arrange the best time to come and see us and we will ensure that a senior member of staff is available to show you around.