Kindergarten Badgers

“Play is the highest form of research.” (Albert Einstein)

In Kindergarten Badgers we strive to meet every child's unique potential and develop confident children ready to tackle any challenge, ready for school life.  We make learning exciting and provide stimulating environments for children to flourish.

This room follows on from Kindergarten Foxes and caters for children in their pre-school year.  Children attend with full day 8am-6pm sessions or half day options (8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm), where funding can be taken during term time or stretched all year round.  All three of our Kindergarten rooms work closely together and share the same garden space, with individual freeflow areas.  The approach to the curriculum is consistent across all groups and are teacher led, joining together for small group times for phonics and maths input.

Kindergarten Badgers focuses on helping children to become independent thinkers. We encourage children to talk to you about their day, their meals and activities they have enjoyed, encouraging self evaluation and language development. Ofsted said 'The strong focus on helping children to acquire language skills means that children are excellent communicators and exceptionally confident. As a result, they are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their learning and their move to school.'

We offer Forest School sessions for every child once a week, and spend a lot of time walking, exploring and learning in the woods. Forest School sessions allow children to take part in activities like tool work, cooking on the fire and imaginative games safely with support from highly qualified staff. Ofsted (2019) commented 'Children are exceptionally well informed about how to keep themselves safe. They learn to take risks through exploring the natural environment.' 

Kindergarten Badgers implement elements into their day inspired from training by Shonette Bason through her Spread the Happiness programme, this includes Dough Disco, Magic Maths and Squiggle Whilst you Wiggle.  These elements along with well planned phonics activities are fantastic for developing children's skills to get ready for handwriting, reading and maths, giving them a fantastic start to school life though a fun and exciting way.  More information on these initiatives can be found through videos on youtube or the following link http://spreadthehappiness.co.uk/happy-links/

The staff ratio in this room is a minimum of 1:8 and further enhanced during Forest School sessions.