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Learning is More Than Absorbing Facts, it is Acquiring Understanding

Babies & Toddlers

There’s nothing better for babies and toddlers than being part of the Manor House family!

Our bright and airy rooms are totally dedicated to support babies’ growth and development

Each cosy room has carefully chosen furniture and its own outdoor space, which babies and toddlers can explore all year-round.

Resources such as treasure baskets, mirrors and even fresh herbs in water, give babies and toddlers the chance to explore using taste, smell and texture, allowing them to use all their senses. This type of activity helps a young child’s development. Add to this, the caring and nurturing environment we create with paired family workers, who build positive relationships and secure attachment, exactly the environment that grows stability and security, giving young babies and toddlers a feeling of well-being.

We fully support a young child’s need for rest and sleep with a range of different sleeping environments including an outdoor-decked area. We really do believe that sleep is very important in relation to what we do. Read more about this under ‘Health’.

We fully support a young child’s need for rest and sleep with a range of different sleeping environments including an outdoor-decked area.

Two Year Olds

Having a two year old is a bit like having a blender without the lid on!

As a parent, the second year is probably one of the most challenging times

Constantly on the go, interested in everything, and a very distinct group unlike any other age.

At Manor House Nursery we completely understand this is a period of momentous change where babies are becoming ‘little people’ developing a concept of themselves, as social beings, as language users, as thinkers, and as individuals. At this age they have no regulation of their emotions and this results in dramatic peaks and troughs of their emotions and feelings.

As well as being very emotional they still need a lot of sleep, and this is all to do with their learning.

When they’re sleeping their little brains are rearranging and sorting all the language and learning that has taken place that day. Many of the activities in this room are sensory and are building on vocabulary or putting words to feelings. Activities such as story sacks, role- play, sandpits and trips to the park! Staff in this room listen and respond to the children sensitively, and work closely with you and your child demonstrating ‘professional love’ to develop vital bonds.

We work with you as the child’s first educator and use familiar objects such as family photos, soft toys or a blanket to connect your child back to home. Some children will need that more than others and we completely understand that. At this particular age they sometimes take longer to settle and at Manor House Nursery there’s no rush. We work at a comfortable pace that suits you and your little ones!

Three & Four Year Olds

LEARNING IS MORE THAN ABSORBING FACTS, IT IS ACQUIRING UNDERSTANDING

Our pre-school is situated across the whole top floor of our nursery

These children regularly explore beyond the nursery grounds. Using our minibuses, we take groups of children daily to our Manor House Forest School site at The Quex Park Estate. We also visit other places of interest such as The Spitfire Museum, Turner Contemporary and the local nature reserve, further enhancing our curriculum.

The pre-school classrooms include a teaching room for small group activities, a role-play room to enhance imagination and creativity, an art room, and a carpeted playroom. We’re also proud to say that in our ‘family’ of staff we have fully qualified teachers at Manor House Nursery, giving your children the very best head start they can possibly get in preparation for Primary School.

Learning both indoors and outdoors, children thrive in our pre-school due to the richness, variety and opportunities offered. Different children require different experiences, and our staff work on children’s individual interests, as well as regular planning around stories and community visits. This important year supports children to be ready for school, and equips them with the confidence and self-esteem they need for life.

Out & About

We love taking children outdoors

As well as our Forest School, we use our minibuses to take children on regular trips

to beaches, parks, nature reserves, museums, galleries, libraries and even a lighthouse! The children love it so much, that we organise these trips every morning and every afternoon. These are the kinds of places that engage the children’s interest. They can see their local community and it gives them a sense of belonging, as well as creating a ripple effect at home with their families. We love these trips, because they teach children vital life lessons, like managing their own risk, early maths, communicating and they give the children real experience of the world, which puts all their learning into context.