Little Angels Nursery; a private family-style nursery that adheres to the educational concept of home to home, it aims to provide a warm and safe environment to allow children to flourish in the safety that they would feel back home.
The nursery was renovated from a villa. The purpose of that was to allow the children to feel the warmth and safety they would feel back at home. On the first floor, there is a classroom catering 2-3-year olds. There is also an activity area catering for 3-5-year olds, and finally, on the second floor, there is a room catering for toddlers under the age of 2. The floors carpet is of a soft texture ensuring that it remains easy for the toddlers to crawl without the parents fearing the repercussions of injury. The entire nursery has a capacity of 39, providing full-day child care services, but not all children attend the institution daily. Parents choose which days their children should attend the institution. The nursery advocates game teaching, which is a philosophy that allows children play freely. However, 3-5-year olds participate in classes alongside play. The nursery offers literature teaching activities to ensure the children’s literacy and spelling are of a high degree, allowing children to transition into elementary school easier. During the discussion, the teachers shared the children’s daily diary and how to write a self-contained toilet training manual. The parents would write about their child’s situation as well as suggestions to the nursery on areas that should be improved. The enthusiasm and love each staff member showed to the children impressed our participants greatly. Every teacher is an angel who cares deeply for the children they take care off. During the visit, children were encouraged to say hello to the participants and the participants greeted them with the same hospitality. The teachers partook in the cordially greeting as well, which allowed the participants to feel at home.
Q&A:
Q: How do the toddlers under 2 years of age dine in the classroom?
A: The baby has a special independent table and chair, one set per person, completely set customarily for the size of the child. The tables are set in a circle shape, and the teacher will assist the babies who need help feeding.
Q: During the visit, I saw children quarrelling, one child bite another, how should we handle the children’s injuries?
A: The teacher would conduct an analysis of the situation – if it is only a small quarrel, the teacher would stop them. If it is an ordinary injury, an emergency report will be written, and the parents will be asked for advice. In the case of serious injuries, in addition to emergency assistance, they will also have talks with their parents, tell them about the causes and consequences, and tell the parents how to solve the problem, ask the parents if they need other treatment, and complete the emergency report.
Willow Children’s Centre is a partner of Archway Nursery. The two institutions share the same headmaster and thus are inherently similar with its ideology and philosophy. In addition, Willow Children’s centre is a British public school meaning that parents do not have to pay tuition as the costs are covered by the British Government. It is an outstanding nursery recognised by the UK’s Ofsted certifications board and has even won “Healthy Early Years London Gold Award” which is a prestigious award recognised by the Mayor of London. The nursery is divided into age categories with each of its four classrooms being used for different purposes; a toddler room for under 2’s, a room for 2-3-year olds, a room for 3-4-year olds, as well as an activity room for children and families with special needs. The institution also reserves a shared area for outdoor activities. There are all kinds of different games and equipment in the outdoor area, as well as a wealth of facilities to facilitate a comfortable environment for both parents and children. For example, the nursery has a separate special needs child care area and a home support area.
The teachers showed our participants how the children knew the nearby plants – by simply identifying the familiar vanilla smell.
Q&A
Q: How do children play outdoor games in such a rich activity area?
A: According to the EYFS framework, the game area is completely open to children. The free game time does not limit the children to be in a certain place, including the outdoors. All the tools and materials are provided, giving the child complete autonomy and more than three hours game time a day.
Q: Why is there a separate classroom for children who have special needs?
A: According to the government’s policy, each public nursery needs to accept certain special needs children. The classroom is designed to provide an independent environment for these children under professional care from teachers, encouraging them to interact with other children happily, providing an independent environment for the child.