Typical Daily Routine

Preschool

Preschool is for children aged 3-5 years. The preschool room can hold 32 children a day, on a 1 adult to 8 children ratio. The room is made up of an open plan room where children can access workshop style activities, a 4 cubicle toilet and an outdoor free flow area. The children are encouraged to be independent and to help out around the room. Each child has a key person who supports their children’s development and progress.

Preschool Routine

8.00 am – Breakfast

Children are offered breakfast which is accessible for them to self-serve. If children are not hungry, an activity of drawing or puzzles will be set up. Once they have finished their breakfast, children clear up after themselves and go to the carpet to read a story or look at a book.

8.40 am – Story Time

Children clear away books for a story with a practitioner.

8.45 am – Getting Ready for Garden

Practitioners send children in groups of four to use the toilet and wash their hands before getting their coats on and lining up for the garden. A practitioner will support where needed but children are encouraged to do everything independently. Children who get ready quickly may be able to help a practitioner do the garden risk assessment.

*When there are more than 20 children, the class will be split into two groups which will take turns to alternate between half an hour of garden time and half an hour of group time.*

9.00 am – Garden Time/Group Time

Children are signed out into the garden where they are free to choose and play with anything. The shed is opened and children can access the toys independently (supported by a practitioner where needed) and games/play are all child led. Some activities are set out, i.e. mud kitchen, sand tray, writing etc for children to access if they choose to.

9.30 am – Group Time/Garden Time

Children sit at the carpet with practitioners and use a whiteboard to sound out their names. When children are confident in sounding out their name, they are offered the opportunity to write their names. To start, the children trace and join dots to make the letters in their names, then when they are ready, they are supported to copy the letters from their names or write them. NB: children must not be forced to spell or write their names if they do not want to. This is not a necessity just an added extra that we offer the children if they are interested.

10.00 am – Focus Session

Children and practitioners sit together on the carpet and talk about their theme for the day. Children will be offered information and experiences related to the theme which will influence and shape their knowledge and skills for the activities planned for the day. Children are encouraged to join in and develop the ideas that are being discussed during the focus session. Example: If children are learning about their bodies and the senses, the focus session may include flashcards of the senses, a matching game to recognise which sense goes with which body part and counting how many senses there are.

10.15 am – Free Play and Snack Time

Activities related to the theme are set up around the room, the areas that are set out are: creative, writing/mark making, maths, construction, small world, technology, roleplay, reading, sand, water and outdoor free flow. The children are encouraged to play with what they want, how they want. Adults offer subtle interventions to enable children to adapt and evolve the activities for the children to extend their own play and learning. Children and adults play and learn together to find out new information. A snack table is set up for children to access when they want to between 10.15 am and 11 am.

11.15 am – Tidy Up and Group Activity

Preschool help to tidy up, clean up and set the tables for lunch. Once the room is ready for lunch time, everyone sits together for a short story or some song singing.

11.30 am – Washing Hands

Children are sent four at a time and encouraged to use the toilet and wash their hands independently ready for lunch.

11.45 am – Lunch

Children sit at tables of six and eat lunch together. Children are encouraged to self-serve from bowls in the middle of the table. Children wait for each other to dish up their food then eat together. Children talk to each other during their meal and are encouraged to use their manners to ask for more food. Water jugs and cups are on the table for children to pour their own water. Children are supported by practitioners but encouraged to do everything independently.

12.30 pm – Letters, Sounds and Number Time

After lunch, children sit in two groups depending on their age and ability, then they work on different skills which will support their development of letters, phonics and numbers.

1.00 pm – Session Swap:

Children who attend in the morning leave and children who attend in the afternoon come in.

1.30 pm – Focus Session

Children and practitioners sit together on the carpet and talk about their theme for the day. Children will be offered information and experiences related to the theme which will influence and shape their knowledge and skills for the activities planned for the day. Children are encouraged to join in and develop the ideas that are being discussed during the focus session. Example: If children are learning about their bodies and the senses, the focus session may include flashcards of the senses, a matching game to recognise which sense goes with which body part and counting how many senses there are.

1.45 pm – Free Play and Snack Time

Activities related to the theme are set up around the room, the areas that are set out are: creative, writing/mark making, maths, construction, small world, technology, roleplay, reading, sand, water and outdoor free flow. The children are encouraged to play with what they want, how they want. Adults offer subtle interventions to enable children to adapt and evolve the activities for the children to extend their own play and learning. Children and adults play and learn together to find out new information. A snack table is set up for children to access when they want to between 10.15 am and 11 am.

2.45 pm – Tidy Up and Group Activity

Preschool help to tidy up, clean up and set the tables for tea.

2.50 pm – Washing Hands

Children are sent four at a time and encouraged to use the toilet and wash their hands independently ready for tea.

3.00 pm – Tea

Children sit at tables of six and eat lunch together. Children are supported to make their own tea, i.e. when we have sandwiches, they butter their bread and put the filling in it then cut it. Children talk to each other during their meal and are encouraged to use their manners to ask for more food. Water jugs and cups are on the table for children to pour their own water. Children are supported by practitioners but encouraged to do everything independently.

3.50 pm – Getting Ready for Garden

Practitioners send children in groups of four to use the toilet and wash their hands before getting their coats on and lining up for the garden. A practitioner will support where needed but children are encouraged to do everything independently. Children who get ready quickly may be able to help a practitioner do the garden risk assessment.

4.00 pm – Garden Time

Children are signed out into the garden where they join in with group activities, ring games and/or physical activities.

4.30 pm – Story Time

Children clear away books for a story with a practitioner.

5.00 pm – Physical Activities

Children join in with parachute games, yoga and meditation or a dancing.

5.30 pm – Quiet Activities

Children can enjoy a puzzle, reading books, Makaton songs, CD and story book or another quiet activity that they choose.

6.00 pm – Home Time