Nursery
Welcome to Longside Nursery School
At Longside Nursery we value ‘Learning Through Play’ and therefore ensure that the environment is inviting to promote children’s curiosity, wonder and imagination. The learning environment both indoors and outdoors provides challenges and opportunities to explore learning possibilities. The Nursery allows for free access to all our rich materials that help promote open-ended opportunities for children to make a choice about their own learning.
We have our offers ample space for children’s needs and a wide range of resources including natural ‘loose parts’ (materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart put back together in multiple ways) which support children to develop their creativity. There are areas that offer calm and quiet, spaces for the children to relax in.
Our outdoor environment offers a variety of levels and surfaces such as grass, mud, sand and tarmac. These allow children to develop their sense of dexterity as they explore the natural environment while investigating trees, hills and stumps. Children have free flow access to the garden throughout the day.
Vision, Value and Aims
The vision, values and aims is what the setting aspires to be for all stakeholders. It is a shared ethos of core values that should be built upon when making decisions about future improvement opportunities. The aims change and evolve and are part of the self-evaluation process.
“Effective settings have a clear shared vision for what they would like their provision to be and what they want for the children in their care. The vision should be based on the unique needs of your children and families in your setting. Developing a vision that is co-created by us with children and families means that everyone is working together for the best interests of the children. It is important to refresh the vision from time to time to ensure that it remains relevant to the community you work within.”
(Realising the Ambition, Education Scotland, 2020, p. 82)
Longside’s vision, values and aims are slightly adapted to fit in with our early years pedagogy. This has been been developed by all stakeholders (children, parents and staff).
Vision to learn, to achieve and to grow.
Values
Safe- Provide a safe, caring, stimulating environment for our children so they feel secure, valued, respected and included.
Healthy- Ensuring the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional health and well-being of all children, staff and families are met.
Active- Quality experience that provide an active learning environment that allows creativity, thought provoking idea’s and risk taking activities.
Nurturing- To create a nursery which feels like a home-from-home so children feel clam and relaxed which is fundamental to their development.
Achieving- To value and empower our children and staff by recognising and celebrating successes and effort.
Respected- To promote a culture of inclusion, diversity, equality, fairness and opportunity.
Responsible- Having the opportunities to actively play and responsible roles at school and wider community.
Included- All children and families have a right to access our service’s and be welcomed as equal partners.
Aims-
Effective Contributors
Successful learners
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens
