When our crew arrived at Lemon Tree Nursery School, a private day nursery near Taunton, Somerset, in November 2004 to film twins Megan and William, the children had only been in the setting for just over a month.
They had already made themselves at home and were enjoying all the activities on offer. The pictures we saw of them in the 'Celebrating Young Children' material - collecting apples, making sandwiches and playing outdoors - all conjured up two very happy and independent children.
On the film their mother, Victoria, talked about Megan's and William's very different characters. So, how did the nursery manage to help these two very different children adapt so quickly to the new environment?
Linda Parker, owner and manager, is committed to meeting the needs of every child. Her vision for the setting is that all children will be respected and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured.
Activities offer children opportunities to develop in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination. With staff and parents, she plans a curriculum that builds on children's interests and is right for every child at their particular stage of development.
Free sessions
This process begins by finding out as much as possible about the child from parents and carers before the starting date. After an initial visit, parents and carers are invited to attend the nursery with their child for as many free two-hourly sessions as they wish for up to a term.
During these visits, there is a mutual sharing of information. Keyworkers gain insights into the child's personality. The entry record includes details of favourite toys and books, family members and pets (including, critically, pets' names to distinguish them from the names of relatives!).
Staff discuss the nursery's aims, talk about how the curriculum is planned and stress the importance of outdoor learning. Parents and carers have a chance to see the portfolio of photographs illustrating how children learn actively with laughter and fun. The stepping stones from the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage are illustrated effectively through photographs.
When Megan and William started, they joined an established group of children, most of whom had been attending for two years already, so it was important for staff to help them feel included. Unlike many twins who play together as a unit, Megan and William had their own preferences and friendships, so from the start they were viewed as individuals.
Megan was particularly sociable and was quickly enjoying the company of others, while William initially preferred to spend time with his keyworker, Rob. However, they shared a love of the outdoors and loved being in the nursery's extensive grounds.
Staff would regularly take groups down into the woods for painting or building, making sure that every child had a part to play and that Megan and William could feel involved in the group. Whatever the activity, staff took notes of children's interests and achievements.
Megan's and William's favourite time of the day was when the cafe opened in the mornings for snacks. Staff provide fruit, bread, cheese and spreads for the children to make their own snacks independently.
As soon as the 'open' sign appeared, Megan and William would be waiting, ready to make their sandwiches and pour their drinks. Recognising that this was a special time for both of them, staff planned cooking activities linking food with outdoor learning.
As we saw in the film, staff took the children to the orchard to pick apples and later baked an apple pie. On other days, the children cooked blackberries or took the freshly baked rock buns to the den for a picnic.
Sharing information
Given the high number of working parents using the nursery, staff feel it is essential to maintain good communication between home and setting. Every child has a home-nursery diary, a book which is used by the setting and the family to share information on a regular basis. The diary includes not only the day-to-day commentary but also photographs of family, friends and special events.
For those children who find it hard to adjust to the routines of the setting, staff have created a 'colour timeline'. This came about after one little girl, who loved colours, found it difficult to separate from her mother each morning and repeatedly asked when it would be time to go home.
So, the day's activities were put into the diary and each activity was allotted a colour. This proved to be really helpful in allaying some anxieties and in developing the child's awareness of the routines of the day.
Communication system
Over recent years, the nursery has worked successfully with several children with special educational needs, particularly those who have communication difficulties.
Staff have all been trained in the use of Somerset Total Communication, a locally developed communication system which uses a combination of speech, signs, photographs and symbols.
Senior teacher and assistant manager Kathy Sommers talks about the 'huge learning curve' that had to be climbed to become more effective in communicating with children who have difficulties.
'Not only have I had to master the signing, but I have also learned to wait for a child to respond before rushing in, and this can be really difficult.
I was used to filling the gaps in conversation and I have had to learn to accept the silences. They are the child's thinking time,' she says.
Together with the local speech and language therapist, the nursery set up a weekly group for a small number of children who needed specific support for speech and language development.
As well as providing opportunities for the children to develop, staff also realised the benefits of creating an atmosphere that valued all children's contributions, sitting close, being attentive and being together in talk.
As far as possible, they now endeavour to recreate these special times in the larger groups, which has produced real improvements in children's behaviour and communication.
Individual needs
Linda Parker speaks highly of the support the setting has received from the local authority in meeting individual children's needs. The list includes physiotherapists, dieticians, educational psychologists, portage workers, speech and language therapists, paediatricians and Foundation Stage advisers.
She says, 'Working closely with the multi-disciplinary team has enhanced our work tremendously so that we can be confident that all our children are succeeding. Frequent opportunities to meet and listen to each other have been the key to ensuring that our children have received equal care and have helped us to develop our skills. One of the most important outcomes has been that the transition to school has been well planned and, therefore, made as smooth as possible for children and their families.'
As for William and Megan? They are now in the second term in reception class at a small local community school. Victoria is pleased with the way in which the twins are continuing to learn and develop as individuals.
Megan is very creative while William continues to enjoy the outdoor curriculum. The work of the nursery in recognising and responding to the differing ways in which children learn has clearly contributed to giving Megan and William a positive start to their school life.
Sue Ellis is regional adviser Foundation Stage (Inclusion), National Strategies
Effective practice questions
1 How do you learn about children's personalities and interests before they join the setting?
2 Do you have effective systems for communicating with all parents?
3 Do the activities start with the child's interests or the practitioner's?
4 How do you help children to make sense of the routines of the day?
5 Do you make the most of the outdoor environment, whatever the facilities?
6 Do you encourage children to be independent and make their own choices, including at snack time?
7 How do you create opportunities to be together in talk with children?
8 Do you make time to listen to children and give them time to respond?
9 How do you ensure that all children feel at home and involved?
10 Do you make the most of support and advice from other professionals?