Our Nursery Aims
What is our aim?
Our aim at First Steps is to provide a happy, caring and secure environment where children learn through play and are motivated by their own interest and curiosity. We promote child-led activities and support in the moment planning.
Our practice reflects a strong balance between adult support and self-regulation, which gives children the freedom to make decisions and to be allowed to make and correct their own mistakes.
We continuously strive to create a positive partnership with parents and carers. Through which we can work together for the benefit of the child and support them throughout their time at First Steps.
How do we meet this aim?
We have drawn on wide world initiatives to enhance our knowledge, paying special attention to The Curiosity Approach from England, Reggio Emilia Approach from Italy and Te Whariki from New Zealand. Understanding these practices has allowed us to create our unique Ethos Themes which is a central concept running throughout the nursery.
Our professional practitioners are trained in all areas of children’s care, learning and development. We promote continuous professional development through ongoing training, ensuring they are kept up to date with the latest changes in legislation.
We liaise with outside agencies such as Ofsted, Safeguarding officers, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, health and safety executives, and health visitors. Where necessary we work in partnership on a variety of levels and for many individual reasons, always with the purpose of creating a safe, secure and positive experience for the children in our care.
Each and every opportunity throughout the day is recognised as a learning experience e.g. washing hands, tidying away, getting dressed. All parts of the children’s routine are a valuable chance for our vigilant practitioners to promote ‘Life Skills’ by linking activities to our ‘Ethos Themes’.
Our knowledgeable practitioners support, encourage and scaffold children’s learning, with plenty of involvement, interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication. We think and plan ahead, constantly thinking of the children’s next steps.
