Visions & Values
“No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.” – Emma Goldman
Paving the way together for a life full of learning
Our philosophy centres on the belief that each child deserves to be given the opportunity to experience the best possible start to his or her education. Our staff are committed to offering a balanced and holistic approach, where the foundations for positive attitudes (‘I Can’) are established in a warm and nurturing learning environment, which is the culmination of years of carefully informed resourcing.
Our teachers deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) which is the legislated curriculum followed in the United Kingdom. Through this they strive to provide opportunities for learning through play and exploration using all the senses and catering for all learning styles – visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. Play-based learning is an essential vehicle for active learning, which promotes positive attitudes of self-motivation, self-confidence, the importance of cooperation and group values.
The four themes of the EYFS are:
- * A unique child
- * Positive relationships
- * Enabling environments
- * Learning and development
The EYFS curriculum is organised around the six areas of learning which have equal value and importance:
- * Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- * Communication, Language and Literacy
- * Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
- * Knowledge and Understanding of the World
- * Physical Development
- * Creative Development
“If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.’’ – Bruce Barton
New Aspects in Learning
The effort to provide the best possible education is constant. With this as our benchmark, we embrace innovative methods using a variety of teaching strategies which aspire to stimulate learning and encourage personal development. In our effort to avoid stagnation, we continually seek to progress and grow through concepts and techniques that enhance and support learning.
Educational Brain Gym®: Learning is not merely a function of the brain, it involves every nerve and muscle of our bodies. As such, Educational Brain Gym® – a branch of kinesiology - integrates a series of simple and energising movements designed to directly enhance brain function, allowing access to full learning potential, focus and concentration.
Positive Behaviour Strategy: All of us at Kid’s Island and Cocoon Nursery aim to reinforce and model positive behaviour by encouraging our children through optimism and affirming their capacity and ability to succeed.
Positive behaviour strategy is a set of guiding principles, attitudes and techniques about real-life behavior. It allows us to change, adopt or eliminate behaviors, as we desire, and gives us the ability to choose our mental, emotional and physical states of well-being. With positive behaviour strategy, we learn how to grow from every single life experience, thus increasing our ability to create a better quality of life. This strategy is based on the ability to change our communication skills, thus allowing us to get the change in behaviour!
Storysacks/Storyboards: A fun and original concept - created by educator and author Neil Griffiths - of reading stories aimed at encouraging children to become life-long readers by appealing to and stimulating their inquisitiveness and interest in books.
Practical support to Learning
Air-streamers and Essential oils: The use of essential oils creates a naturally fragrant environment that not only appeals to our senses but also contributes to our children’s wellbeing by their calming and purifying effect.
Protection of the environment: As the number of children suffering from asthma and allergies has been on the increase, keeping the nursery environmentally safe is of the utmost importance. All areas of the nursery are cleaned using the ENJO Microfiber Cleaning System eliminating the need for harsh detergents.
Lunch Bag Package: As a unique service to our parents all of our children receive a practical, transparent lunch bag which includes a specially divided imported Tupperware lunchbox. We also provide special waterproof vinyl stickers to label the children’s lunchboxes and drinking cups. The children are encouraged to identify, pack, zip up and pack their lunch bags away in the classroom.
Recycling: All children receive a recycling bag at the beginning of the year and through their home role models should be encouraged to actively participate.