We are really proud of our nursery, which is a happy, safe and stimulating place to learn and, most importantly, play!
Miss Webber, Early Years lead
We provide a caring positive atmosphere, inclusive to all children and their needs. Our Nursery provision provides high quality childcare and education in a safe and welcoming environment. Our trained professional staff are dedicated to promoting a love of learning, developing essential independence skills and fostering inquisitive minds.
Our Provision
We offer children in early years a play-based curriculum with free-flow access to the outside areas. We value the opportunities for learning that children find when using natural resources and when exposed to real experiences.
We support our children to manage their emotions, develop their communication and language, as well as their physical gross and fine motor skills. These prime areas are our focus to ensure that by the end of your child’s time in nursery, they are ready to begin their next adventure in reception.
We feel it’s really important for your children to be exciting and engaged with their learning, and that’s why we focus our teaching on hooks and stories that inspire them. We strive to instil a love of reading, and ensure books are always readily available, and sharing stories is a daily occurrence.
Play and Assessment
Children learn best through play. This is how they make sense of the world around them. We use the early years foundation stage guidance to plan activities both adult led and child initiated, covering both breadth and depth of the curriculum.
We assess children’s learning and development by observing them and planning appropriately to make progress towards the next stage in their development. We monitor the wellbeing and involvement of every child to ensure all activities are engaging and the children display positive attitudes to learning.
Deanwood Nursery follows the EYFS Statutory Framework which has four overarching principles:
Areas of Development >
The areas of development are:
| Prime Areas | Personal, Social and Emotional Development |
| Communication and Language | |
| Physical Development | |
| Specific Areas | Literacy |
| Mathematics | |
| Understanding the World | |
| Expressive Art and Design |
My daughter has come on so much since changing to this Nursery! The teachers are just amazing. We love it, can’t recommend enough!
Parent, 2023
Communication
We seek to get to know your family when your child joins us, and maintain a strong relationship throughout their time with us and beyond. We offer stay and play sessions throughout the year, where parents are invited to come in to see what we get up to. On our online learning journal Tapestry, you can add “wow” moments from home for us to share with your child and their friends. We also use this journal to record your child’s learning and development, to keep you up to date with what they have been getting up to.
Environment
Our environment is key in supporting our children’s learning and allowing them to practise, repeat and rehearse skills, taught in adult directed interactions. We use resources that are accessible to all our children of different ages and abilities. Our skilled practitioners then dip into children’s play to support them in developing their next steps and supporting their learning.
Our environment is ever changing, and we strive to create indoor and outdoor spaces that children find engaging and develop their curiosity. Ultimately, we want children to have fun when they’re with us in Nursery. We like to follow the children’s interests and fascinations by reading their favourite stories, listening to their favourite songs, and building their imaginary worlds.
A brilliant Nursery
Parent, 2023
Sessions, Prices and Funding
We have 3 entry points across the year: September, January and April, but can also take in year admissions if space is available, offering either 15 hours or 30 hours per week, with a morning session, afternoon session and an all-day session.
Morning sessions:
£15.00
All day:
£31.50 (includes £1.50 lunch fee)
Afternoon sessions:
£15.00
We also accept 15/30 hour free child care, funded by the Government.
Further Information
Want more information about our Nursery provision? Check out our digital booklet below:
More Information
For more information about our Nursery, or to book a tour, contact us by:
Telephone: 01634 231901
Email: office@deanwood.medway.sch.uk
Apply
If you would like to apply for a place for your child in our Nursery, either now or in the future, please complete the below waiting list and hand it into the school office: