A Typical Day
At Little Atwood, we strive to create a nurturing and stimulating learning environment which promotes challenge, exploration and fosters a love of learning. We know that children’s learning is not linear and that we are a continuation of everything that has gone on before – parents and carers being the children’s first and most enduring educators.
A typical day at Little Atwood might look like this:
8.45am – Children arrive and self-register by finding their photograph and/or name (adults will greet the children, take the register and record lunch options if required)
9.00-10.10am – Children engage in self-initiated activities or undertake focus tasks with their keyworker. Both the indoor and outside learning environments are accessible. Self-initiated learning is about children having opportunities and time to plan and develop their play and interests. They are encouraged to: explore, take risks, make decisions, solve problems and share their achievements with others. Adults carefully observe children during this time and may provide feedback in the form of modelling, commentary and scaffolding. Focus tasks with their keyworker might include art activities, early writing, number and shape work, name writing, speech and language work, nurture groups and turn taking
10.00am – Group Carpet Time (half class) – Children will participate in daily carpet sessions to develop their early phonological awareness and early mathematical development
10.15am – Snack Bar open and supervised. Children are offered a piece of fruit or veg (and milk if parents/carers have opted for this)
10.15-11:30am – Self-initiated learning and or focus tasks with their keyworker
11:30am – Group Carpet Time (all children) – A second carpet session usually relates to a theme and develops children’s understanding of the world around them. Children end the morning with story time, singing and rhymes
11.45am – ‘Morning’ children go home and ‘full-time’ children have lunch within the Nursery provision.
12.15pm – ‘Afternoon’ children arrive and self-register
12.30pm – Group Carpet Time (half class) – Children will participate in daily carpet sessions to develop their early phonological awareness, and early mathematical development and their understanding of the world around them.
12.45-2.30pm – Self-initiated learning or focus tasks with a keyworker
2.45pm – Children end the day with story time, singing and rhymes
3.15pm – Home time for ‘full-time’ and ‘afternoon’ children. Doors open from 3.05pm for a staggered dismissal. Children who attend the After-School Club are collected from Little Atwood.
Additional activities:
Our day is flexible and timings will change depending on learning opportunities that arise, the interests of the children and special occasions such as workshops or visitors.
Children access our school library once per week where they are able to choose a book to take home and enjoy with their parents and carers.
For much of the year, children will attend a Forest School session where they immerse themselves in the rich learning opportunities provided by the outdoors. Children may choose to engage in modelled nature-based activities, climb small trees or play in the mud.
