All the children who attend The Willow Set enjoy a rich environment which is paramount in producing strategies to enable them to resolve problems, work collaboratively within their peer group and extend their own individual learning development and skills. These range from physical activities and exercise to help them develop their gross and fine motor skills, to small world and role play activities which aim to enhance their communication and language skills, literacy, knowledge of the world, personal and social skills, along with maths and expressive art and design as emphasised within the revised Practice Guidance for the Early years Profile.

The rising 5s group on a Friday takes us one step further and supports the transitions and school readiness to ensure every child is supported through their personal transition process, irrespective of their needs; This ensures that their learning and development is maintained throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage. Collaboration of everyone involved with the child should ensure that the holistic development of every child is catered for, keeping them at the centre of the whole process. The stages of transition are managed in order to enhance their well being and performance as learners, seeking to ensure that everybody feels involved within the process.

Forest school for rising fives

We offer four sessions of Forest school over a year which are on a Friday. This includes one with just the Rising Fives, and 3 focus groups where the rising fives get the opportunity to go with the reception class and teachers from Stoke St Gregory primary school, supporting transitions to school. We catch a mini bus to The Willow and Wetlands centre (about a mile up the road)

The natural environment provides a wealth of opportunity to expand young children’s learning through multi sensory exploration, experimentation and adult supervised play.

The forest school provides a safe, outdoor ‘classroom’ located in secluded private woodland only two miles from the preschool. Supervised by a trained forest leader, the children are encouraged to explore all aspects of the natural world. Their own interests and play ideas will be the basis of activities to extend their learning.