Teasel Nursery School-on-the-Marina was set up in 2013 with the aim of providing a home away from home environment for young children. To support children and their families in their transition, home visits are arranged, and four-week and two-week settling-in periods are provided free of charge to babies and two- to five-year-olds respectively.
Everyday furniture is used in the nursery, such as sofas and sideboards, and most resources are not made from plastic. Wherever possible, children are encouraged to handle and explore real objects, such as metal and wooden utensils in the 'home' corner and binoculars, torches and cameras in the 'knowledge of the world' area.
The use of real, natural and reclaimed resources is paramount at the nursery, and the environment is designed to provide an 'indoor-outdoor' experience, with ladders and wooden blocks inside the nursery and wobbly logs, boulders, logs and tyres outside. All children take part in multisensory activities such as exploring mud, bark and leaves, and they are taken on regular visits to the local woodlands. The nursery receives visits from local horse owners with their horses, as well as a mobile library service.
Termly workshops for parents also take place at the nursery, encouraging mothers and fathers to reminisce about their own childhood experiences of being connected with the natural world and helping to ensure children receive continuity of experience between their nursery and home lives.
The setting also has links with the local children's centre, which delivers further workshops for parents at the nursery and hosts professional development days to share its practice with other practitioners.
The nursery is also keen to provide a physically and emotionally supportive environment. A parents' lounge gives mothers and fathers space to experience the emotions of separating from their children during the gradual transition phase, and a staff rejuvenation room gives nursery workers a calm and tranquil space for relaxing during their breaks.
Staff learn words from other languages to help motivate children whose second language is English, and daily care routines such as nappy changing, dressing and hand-washing are used as learning opportunities.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Elmscot Day Nursery
The garden space at Elmscot Day Nursery in Altrincham features a den, sand pit, mud kitchen, storytelling area, cottage garden and climbing equipment, helping staff to extend their planned nursery activities to the outdoors.
The garden also has a canopy area, which can be used in heavy rain, but waterproof overalls mean the whole space can be used in almost any weather.
Children use the garden at least twice a day, and it often provides the location for events such as sports days and Christmas carol services. The main section of the garden has a soft artificial grass surface, allowing children who are still developing their physical skills to take risks and challenge themselves.
The back part of the garden has a hard surface for scooters and bikes. The whole space is surrounded by trees to provide shade and ensure a natural yet secure environment, as well as encouraging wildlife.
FINALISTS
Butterfly Den, Leamington
Co-operative Childcare Falmer, Sussex
Kids Planet Wow Factors, Lymm
Swineshead Pre-School, Lincolnshire
Tall Trees Kindergarten, Frome
CRITERION
Open to early years settings that have developed elements of their provision to create stimulating, child-centred learning environments in line with the principles of the EYFS.
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