Nursery

Shooters Grove Nursery has places for up to 78 children. These places are a combination of both 15 hour and 30 FEL places. We are a large open plan Nursery with access to plenty of outdoor space, which we use on a daily basis.

Sarah Kirk is the Nursery Teacher. She works alongside Cath Hill, Clare Marshall and Roxhanna Oldershaw. 

 

Nursery Sessions

When your child starts Nursery you will be entitled to 15 or 30 government funded hours (FEL). These hours can be used as you wish (and also split between providers). Some options available are;

15 hours:

1. 5 morning sessions and 2 lunchtime sessions
2. 5 afternoon sessions and 2 lunchtime sessions
3. A combination of 5 am and pm sessions and 2 lunchtimes
4. 2.5 full day sessions. 

30 hours:

1. 5 short days (8.50am-3.10pm)
2. 3 long days (7.45am-5.45pm) 

Session Times

Morning session – 8.50am-11.20am

Lunchtime session – 11.20am-12.40pm

Afternoon session – 12.40pm – 3.10pm

 

We have extra sessions that can also be purchased if you require more than your FEL hours. 

 

Breakfast and After School Club

Our Nursery children are warmly welcomed at the Breakfast and After School Club which is based in our school hall and run by JPAC Ltd. For more information go to www.jpacschoolclubs.co.uk 

 

Starting Nursery

We introduce children into nursery three times a year, in September, January and April. Children start at these times over a staggered period as this enables us to settle the children and spend time with them individually.

After you have completed your application form, places are allocated in birth order as places become available in the September and January.

You will be invited to a welcome meeting where you can see nursery, meet the staff and be given more information about your child’s time in nursery.

You will also be given the option for some visits into nursery. We feel that making children familiar with the nursery and with staff before starting is important.

At this meeting we will arrange a home visit where two members of nursery staff will visit you. This is an opportunity for you to ask us any questions and for us to meet each other in your setting.

 

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

Like all early years providers we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. The areas of learning are:

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development
• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

Activities

Our children are mostly taught through games and play. Every day the children have the opportunity to participate in a range of different activities. All these activities are planned to develop skills from the Early Years curriculum. The wide range of tasks are to encourage the children to be independent, creative and excited learners. Some examples of activities are below:

 

Role-play– home corner, hospital, garden centre, shop, police station, fancy dress, pushchairs etc.

Creative– painting, printing, sewing, collage, sewing etc

Jigsaws, Puzzles and Games

Small World Play– Noah’s Ark, dolls house, Playmobil, Lego, farm and zoo animals etc

Construction– Lego, bricks, junk materials, blocks etc.

Music– singing, action rhymes and instruments.

Experimental Play– sand, water, soil, clay and play dough.

Mathematical Tasks– counting, number games, sorting activities, shapes etc.

Literacy Tasks– book corner, story time, phonics games, speaking and listening sessions, opportunities to write and draw.

Outdoor Play– bikes, cars, pushchairs, large climbing equipment, bats, balls, hoops, tunnels, tents, Mud Kitchen, sand, water, jelly, foam play.

 

Nursery is split up into different areas. The different areas contain carefully planned and delivered activities to help the children develop the necessary skills. The activities planned are a combination of child initiated tasks and small adult lead activities. The topics these tasks are based on the children's interests and are also planned to develop interests in a wide range of different areas.

We have a large outdoor area which is used in all weathers. We encourage investigating in the garden and in the nursery yard. The children have the opportunity to dig in the soil, play with sand and water and develop a love of nature and being outside.

How will I know how well my child is doing?

We use the Tapestry online assessment tool where all photographs and observations are recorded in a personal profile for each child. Each child's profile will be available for you to access at home so you can see what your child has been doing and any areas that they are working on. Parents/carers can also add photos and comments about learning at home to share with the staff. 

 

Nursery Play Scheme 

To ensure a smooth transition into our Nursery we also run a play scheme. This takes place (where possible) on the first Friday of each month. Children are invited to stay and play alongside our Nursery children. This is an opportunity for you to meet the Nursery staff, see the Nursery environment and see a Nursery session in action. 

The sessions take place between 9-11am in the Nursery building. The dates for play scheme 2024-25 are:

Friday 6th September 2024

Friday 4th October 2024

Friday 8th November 2024

Friday 6th December 2024

Friday 10th January 2025

Friday 7th February 2025

Friday 7th March 2025

Friday 2nd May 2025

Friday 6th June 2025

Friday 4th July 2025

If you would like more information on these sessions or wish to attend please could you contact Sarah Kirk on skirk@shootersgrove.sheffield.sch.uk

 

To read our Nursery Information booklet, click here.