Welcome
A very warm welcome to you from ‘The Nest’, our integrated day Nursery here at Colwall CofE Primary School.
We understand that choosing the right nursery and thereafter school for your child is an exciting time. It is an opportunity to explore new possibilities and to support your child’s continuing development, understandably this is a decision that, as parents you do not embark on lightly.
Our dedicated and compassionate team fully understand what it takes to make these fundamental Early Years an enjoyable, positive and supportive one. We tailor our provision to meet each child’s individual needs and characteristics. We are able to support children from the age of two until they are ready to move on to our Reception class. Unlike some Nurseries who require parents to wait for a term after their child turns two, we can support your child on their life journey from their second birthday.
We offer term-time provision. Our standard day is six and a half hours, that starts from 8:45am. We do though also offer an early start from 7:30am and a late finish until 5:30. We are also eligible providers of the 15-hour and 30-hour Early Years Government Funding.
Our Nursery is a place where your child can grow, develop and feel supported in their life journey. They will be able to explore and ignite their curiosity in a relaxing, creative, natural environment.
We would warmly welcome you to come and experience our Nursery for yourselves and see how we can support your child’s development.
Our Nursery Team
Mr Jamie Trumper BA (hons) ITT in Early Years
I have been a qualified teacher since 2003 and have spent my teaching career, thus far, working in a variety of settings and with different age groups. My heart is in the Early Years and I am passionate about the nurturing of our young children. I am delighted to have joined Colwall in 2023. I am grateful to be a part of such a compassionate, creative and progressive team, where children are at the heart of everything we do. Just as when I was a child, I am curious about learning. I am also fascinated by the human mind. I love to inspire others and ensure that everyone is as well as they can be, each day. When I am not in school; I love to exercise, play sport, understand the world around me, develop my building skills, spend time in my garden or down the allotment and most of all give the gift of time to my family.
Our Nursery Curriculum
Every day is unique and full of discovery in the Nursery, we do, though, apply a gentle structure and flow to our day.
Carpet Time
Over the course of the day the children have a carpet time session led by the nursery class teacher. This is a chance for the children to come together and explore a key aspect to the day, whether it be our focused text, our curiosity question or our daily exercises.
Phonics and Number Activities
Working in small groups children take part in carefully planned adult-led activities.
Explorers Time
Throughout the day children get the opportunity to experience through immersion the different learning areas in the classroom and are given sufficient time to follow their own interests.
Outdoor Learning
Being outside gives children a sense of freedom and is invaluable for their physical and emotional development. Every day the children play and learn outside. Each week they also take part in Outdoor Learning activities in the Forest school, weather permitting.
A Moment of Focus
The children in Nursery have a specialist session every day of the week which may include: communication (through other languages, sign-language and sound), self-awareness (through meditation, yoga or Tai-Chi), Expressive art(through a famous artist, painting, colouring, construction and model making), and Physical Education. Curiosity Each day we look at a moment to be curious about an aspect of our World, sometimes it will be a question an adult has chosen, but more often it will be inspired by a child during the course of the day or week.
Outdoor Learning
Outdoor learning is integral in the way that we approach Nursery life. We ensure to provide your child with the time, space and freedom to play, whilst immersed in their natural environment.
Directly outside our classroom is our exciting outdoor learning environment which provides a spacious area that incorporates sand and waterplay, an outdoor stage, high and low climbing structures, role-play areas, bike track, a secret garden, a construction zone and natural planting, all of which will stimulate your child’s imagination.
Children can delight in the mud kitchen and can take part in gardening activities in our vegetable and flower beds. We regularly use our Forest school and the rest of the school grounds where your child will experience the countless benefits of playing outside in the fresh air, and become a resourceful and reflective learner.
Wrap Around Care
We understand the importance of flexibility and convenience for our families, so we have developed our Nursery day and sessions to cater, where possible, for your family’s needs.
Our day has three sessions:
Morning session from 8:45 to 11:45,
Lunch session 11:45-12:15 with an option for hot dinners (paid for separately)
Afternoon session 12:15-3:15
There is also the option to add on wraparound care provision, subject to availability. Earlybirds is from 7:30 to 8:45
Nightingales is Monday-Thursday 3:15 to 5:30 Friday 3:15-4:30
Transition to Reception
We believe it is essential that the transfer between our Nursery and Reception class is as smooth as possible.
We feel privileged that our Nursery children are able to share the Outdoor space with our Reception class and are able to mutually develop our play. It is this opportunity that has led us, where possible, to join up with our Reception children to explore the rich experiences we offer your children.
We find the children settle into Reception very quickly as they are familiar with the school building and playground. The transition is overseen by our Lead Practitioner, Mr Jamie Trumper who also shares the responsibility for the Early Years with Mrs Rebecca Ellis, who is the Reception Class Teacher. This allows for a seamless understanding within the Early Years Hub.
During their pre-Reception year we introduce a number of initiatives to aid their transition:
- Over the course of the year we will work one-to-one with each child developing skills needed to access the Reception curriculum.
- During the Summer term the children have a number of visits to the Reception class to spend time with the staff and become more familiar with the Reception classroom.
- We provide parents with opportunities to visit the Reception classroom and meet the staff with an invitation to visit in the Autumn term.
- We hold a Teddy Bear picnic event in the Summer term as another opportunity for you to meet new Reception parents and the Reception staff team before the summer holidays.
- In the Summer term we offer the parents of children moving up an opportunity to meet with Mr Trumper to discuss their ‘readiness’.
- We hold an evening New Reception Parents Meeting in the Summer Term, to which we invite all parents of children who will be joining Reception in the Autumn Term.
- We also hold a Welcome meeting during the first week of starting Reception to give parents a more detailed explanation of the Curriculum and the way in which the children learn.
Parent Resources
Parenting is an ever changing and evolving role. The nurture and support of our children is dynamic and we want to support you as parents.
So, this is a space where you may find information that is helpful. This page is where we can upload articles, documents like registering for funding or school selection. Where we can put up documents like supervised tooth-brushing and online safety tips.