Bangor West Nursery Playgroup
The richness of the human journey is here. Listen. Pass it on. So that there will not pass from our future the enchantment that begins
with the honoured words, “Once upon a time, long ago and far way, in a deep forest, there lived a child – much like you.”
Anonymous
We are a graduate led pre-school who meets during term time, (September to June) each year. We were established in 1973, and since then, we have seen generations of children pass through our doors. Indeed, we now regularly welcome children of children who attended our pre-school. In 2007 we moved into purpose built accommodation as part of the ongoing drive to improve the quality of provision offered by our practitioners.
The pre-school is overseen by a Management Committee which contains parental representation. We are members of Early Years (the organisation for young children) and registered and inspected by both HSC Trust and the Education Training Inspectorate https://www.etini.gov.uk/publications/general-inspection-bangor-west-nursery-playgroup-co-down).
We are open Monday to Friday from 9.00 am – 12 noon/11.30 am on Fridays, school term time. We continue to enjoy a professional and productive relationship with local primary schools and have deeply embedded roots within the local community.
In choosing us you will become part of a ‘very special pre-school family’.
About Us
We have two leaders and two pre-school assistants in our dedicated team. Each member of the team is appropriately qualified and highly experienced in working with pre-school children. Staff regularly undertake training aimed at continuous professional development.
Leaders:
Alison Easlea, BA Early Years
Wendy Somers, BA Early Years
Early Years Practioners:
Denise Powell, NVQ 3 Children’s Learning & Development
Kim Warden, QCF Classroom Assistant
We shape and deliver a play-based, child-led curriculum, promoting play in an inclusive environment. In doing so, we draw on the ‘Curricular Guidance for Pre-school Education’ (www.deni.gov.uk) which provides a supporting framework for our practice located in six discrete areas of learning.
- Personal, Social & Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- The Arts
- Language Development
- Early Mathematical Experiences
- The World Around Us
We strive to create a happy, caring, warm and safe environment where children are encouraged to discover and explore new learning opportunities and to socially interact with their peers. In order to help children develop self-esteem and social capability, they are encouraged to play autonomously as they become increasingly independent during the pre-school year. We have a minimum ratio of 1 adult to 6 children each day.
PERSONAL, SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
This area of learning underpins all childhood progress. Through socialisation, children explore their emotions, become aware of who they are and develop a sense of respect for others and the environment. They begin to build relationships with other children and adults and learn to take turns and share. Children will gain confidence, independence, make choices and learn to help each other.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
We have a wide range of wheeled toys, balancing equipment, slide/climbing frame etc. for indoor use and a dedicated outdoor play area. Carefully chosen equipment enables children to have the opportunity to develop gross motor and fine motor skills. Each day, at 11.20am, the children transition to a large hall within the complex for physical play, musical movement and/or exercise and games.
THE ARTS
We provide opportunities for children’s creative development. They can share their thoughts and ideas through art and design, role play, musical movement and ‘create’ music in our unique ‘pre-school band’. In developing the children’s creativity, it is important to remember the process – the children’s enjoyment and the learning that is taking place – rather than the finished product.
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Our aim is to encourage children to communicate confidently with adults and their peers, enabling them to express their needs and feelings. Our Quiet Room contains a wide variety of books where children can browse and select a book of their choice. The children also have a dedicated story-time every day enabling them to have the opportunity to develop their language and listening skills as they join in with rhymes, stories and songs.
EARLY MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Children are provided with opportunities to develop their understanding of maths in:-
Number: Stories, songs, rhymes, one to one correspondence, taking turns, matching numeral to number and counting.
Shape: Exploring the shapes of natural and everyday materials and recognising shapes in the environment.
Space: Using building blocks, manoeuvring into or out of a space, crawling through a tunnel or laying a train track.
Size and Quantity: Fitting clothes to dolls, comparing sand/water containers, counting ‘how many’, and using/understanding maths language, e.g. big/small, more/less.
THE WORLD AROUND US
Opportunities are provided for children to develop their natural curiosity about their indoor and outdoor environment. This may include the properties of sand/water, using their senses, comparing natural/manmade materials, manipulating malleable substances such as dough/clay and observing the changes in plants and the seasons. Children will learn about their environment, their bodies and how to keep safe.
PLAY ACTIVITIES
Sand, water, dough, painting, craft/drawing, home corner, construction, table top activities, books, exercise, music/musical movement and games.
SNACK TIME
A buffet break is provided for the children and they learn how to manage this process themselves. We encourage healthy eating and offer a variety of healthy snacks every day, e.g. toast, cheese, muffins, pancakes, crackers, breadsticks, assorted bread, fresh/dried fruit, yogurts along with milk and water.
OUTDOOR PLAY/VISITS
We have an enclosed, bright and safe area where children can enjoy supervised activities and games during favourable weather conditions. Periodically, we go for short walks around the church grounds and local places of interest,
e.g. an Autumn Walk to Kerr’s Glen, Carnalea to collect leaves, observe new growth on plants/trees etc. We visit Rathmore Primary school to watch the children in their P1 Nativity play and visit Grange Park Primary to join them in Forest School. We visit the Ark Farm in May.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
The children perform their Christmas Concert in West Church in December. Family and friends are welcome to join us.
Parents comments:
“We were mesmerised by all the effort that was put into this concert.”
“The children did a wonderful job, the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit!”
“Wonderful morning. Such a special time to see my great grandson.”
SPORTS DAY
In June family and friends join us for the children’s Sports Day.
Everyone welcome.
POLICIES
- Structure of Bangor West Nursery Playgroup
- Aims of Bangor West Nursery Playgroup
- Statement of Purpose
- Admissions/Waiting List
- Child Protection
- Child Protection Criteria for staff and volunteers: Flow Chart
- Child Protection Criteria for staff and volunteers: Reporting
- Child Protection Reporting Allegations and Suspicions of Abuse
- Attendance
- Ant-Bullying
- Confidentiality
- CCTV
- Intimate Care
- Procedure for dealing with bodily fluids
- Mobile Phone and Social Networking
- Lost/Missing Child
- Photography
- Photography/Media Parental Consent forms
- Whistle Blowing
- Whistle Blowing: Flow Chart
- Curriculum Planning & Evaluation
- Remote Learning
- Observation, Record Keeping & Assessment
- Play
- Health & Safety
- Lone Working
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Infection Control: Addendum (Covid-19)
- Infection Control: Flow Chart (Covid-19)
- Infection Control: Addendum (Swine Flu)
- Infection Control: Flow Chart (Swine Flu)
- Toys & Equipment
- Risk Assessment Statement
- Risk Assessment sample: Outings
- Pastoral Care cover sheet
- Healthy Eating
- Healthy Eating: Sample Menu
- Administering Medicine and sample form
- Broken Bones/Major Injury
- Risk Assessment: Anaphylaxis
- First Aid/Accident
- Drugs
- Care in the Sun
- Parental Consent: Sample form
- Settling In
- Fire Drill and Procedure
- Outings & Transport
- Substance Mis-use
- Behaviour Management
- Partnership with Parents
- Participation
- Fundraising
- Equal Opportunities
- UNCRC: Rights Respecting
- Special Educational Needs
- Staffing and Recruitment
- Staff Development & Training
- Redundancy Policy
- Induction
- Induction: Plan
- Absence of Leader(s)
- Toys & Equipment Maintenance
- Data Protection
- Destruction of Records
- Reporting of Adverse & Untoward Incidences
- Comments & Complaints: Parents
- Comments & Complaints: Staff
Testimonials from the Children's Parents