Welcome to Little Acorns Nursery!

Your child's Nursery Teacher, Nursery Lead and Teaching Assistants are: 

 

Little Acorns Nursery is a purpose built nursery within the grounds of Elmstead Wood Primary School. We are very fortunate to have staff who are highly knowledgeable and passionate, bringing many years of experience, understanding and creativity to the nursery.

‘Good’ OFSTED rating

The children are taught by a qualified Early Years Teacher and a Higher Level Teaching Assistant who plan exciting activities to inspire and encourage development as well as making the children’s time interesting and enjoyable!

In our nursery, we give equal importance to our indoor and outdoor learning environments and children have free access to both areas throughout the sessions. Children in Nursery also have access to our wonderful outdoor spaces on the school site including a pond area, forest area, and large field. The children love investigating the different areas allowing them to enquire, grow and develop in a range of ways, gaining new skills.

In Nursery, we have a child-led approach to teaching. We strongly believe this is the best way for young children to learn and make progress. This method allows your child to choose what they want to do within the learning environments, where enthusiastic staff join them and support them in their pursuits, identifying all teachable moments, thereby allowing your child to make progress in very short spaces of time. This requires staff to utilise their teaching skills 'in the moment' whilst your child's interest and motivation levels are high.

There are short daily carpet teaching sessions for story, songs and rhyme or early number, sound time. Children in their pre school year will start to take part in short phonic and number directed learning time with a member of staff. 

Our Early Years staff understand the importance of developing communication and language skills and prioritse this through play and targeted interventions. Staff give time to develop social and communication skills and model language effectively.  Voice 21 Oracy strategies are embedded in the Early Year setting. We assess all children’s speech and language abilities and are supported by a Speech and Language therapist within the Nursery. 

Our enriched, rounded and balanced curriculum and well-structured, safe and challenging learning environment allows children to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that enables them to be successful learners who are ready for primary school. Throughout the year, children are supported with the transition to primary school. If they transition to Elmstead Wood Primary School, they would have visited the school several times during their time in the Nursery and be familiar with key members of staff. The Reception teacher spends time with them before they transition. 

Children can join the Nursery in the term that starts after their third birthday - please contact the school office if you would like to register your child for a place. Tel: 020 8857 1504 or email: admin@elmsteadwoodprimary.co.uk