Welcome to our Pre School lounge  

Growing curious, confident and kind learners

At Play days Academy, we believe that children learn best when they are happy, curious and deeply involved in what they are doing.

Our pre-school environment is designed to give children the freedom to explore, investigate, create, make choices and follow their own interests. We provide a rich variety of natural and traditional resources and give children the time and space to learn through play and real-life experiences.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and carefully observe each child to understand what they know, what they can do and what they are interested in. We use these observations to plan meaningful learning opportunities and track children’s progress termly.

Following children’s interests

No two children are the same, and neither are their interests.

Our daily experiences are inspired by what captures the children’s imagination. We believe that following their interests helps children become deeply involved in their learning and supports their well-being, confidence and motivation.

Book of the month  We plan together   Our Book of the month into play  

A simple fascination with dinosaurs, for example, might lead to searching for dinosaur bones in the woods, making fossils, counting dinosaurs, creating stories or building a dinosaur habitat.

A puddle might become an investigation into floating and sinking. A stick might become a wand, a fishing rod or part of a den.

We follow where children’s curiosity takes us.

Learning through real experiences

We want to give children the best possible preparation for their future by helping them develop the skills, attitudes and confidence they need to become lifelong learners.

Children are encouraged to:

*Make choices and express their ideas                         *Try new things and take on challenge                                                

*Solve problems and think creatively                            *Learn from mistakes and try again   

*Take responsibility for themselves and others            *Work together and listen to different ideas 

*Develop independence and confidence                         *Become curious about the world around them 

These experiences support the Characteristics of Effective Learning within the EYFS and help children develop the foundations they need for their next steps in learning.

Our natural and imaginative environment

Our Wise Willows room is full of exciting resources that encourage children to use their imagination.

From creating our own potions and becoming involved in role play, to exploring fields and woods in search of “dinosaur bones” made from sticks and stones, we encourage children to turn everyday experiences into adventures.

We value natural materials and open-ended resources because they allow children to decide how they want to use them. There isn’t always one right answer — children can experiment, invent and create in their own unique way.

And of course, no visit to Wise Willows would be complete without meeting our very special Tortoise, George!     

Through caring for George, children learn about kindness, gentleness, responsibility and how to care for another living creature. 

         

Our Golden Rules

Our Golden Rules help children understand how we can be kind, respectful and considerate towards one another.

Rather than focusing on what children shouldn’t do, we encourage positive choices through simple language such as:

Kind hands         Indoor voices        Kind words

These reminders help children develop an understanding of how their actions affect others and support them in building positive relationships with their friends and the adults around them.

Our Risk Rangers & Danger detectives

We believe children need opportunities to understand risk in order to learn how to manage it safely.

Our Risk Rangers help us look for potential risks in our garden and local environment. This encourages children to stop, think, assess situations and consider how they can keep themselves and others safe.

We don’t want children to be afraid of risk — we want them to develop the confidence and knowledge to recognise, understand and manage appropriate risks.

Risk Ranger badges                 Danger Detective badges  

Creativity and self-expression

There are lots of opportunities at Wise Willows for children to express themselves and explore their creativity.

Through music, movement, art, making, messy play and different creative media, children can experiment with sounds, textures, materials and ideas.

We encourage children to share their thoughts, listen to others and celebrate that everyone has their own ideas and ways of creating.

Developing strong hands and minds

Young children need strong hands and fingers for many of the skills they will develop as they grow.

We provide lots of opportunities to strengthen these muscles through play with clay, dough, sand, water, construction materials and other hands-on resources. These experiences support the development of fine motor skills and help prepare children for future tasks such as writing, drawing and using tools.

 

Celebrating diversity and belonging

Every child should feel that they belong.

Our books, resources and experiences reflect the diverse world in which we live. We introduce children to different people, families, communities, cultures and ways of life in an age-appropriate and meaningful way.

We want every child to see themselves represented, while also developing curiosity and respect for people whose experiences may be different from their own.

Our aim

Above all, we want children to leave our Pre-school lounge feeling confident, capable, curious and kind.

We want them to know that their ideas matter, that it is okay to make mistakes, that challenges can be exciting and that learning is something to enjoy.

At Wise Willows, we don’t just prepare children for school — we help them develop a love of learning that they can carry with them into their future.

For more information about our pre school Nursery fees and admission procedure, please read our welcome pack section. Our nursery is Located in the Glen Parva area of Leicester, our nursery is suitable for those living or working in South Wigston, Enderby, Oadby, Narborough, Whetstone and South Leicester. No need to book an appointment to visit our Childcare Nursery we operate on an open door policy. Our Nursery is located next to Glen Parva Manor.