Puss in Boots Nursery School

Why do we still use COINS at Puss in Boots nursery? Read the full article here: https://www.pussinbootsnursery.co.uk/insert-blog-title-here/

Open Play Morning on Saturday 1st March 10am - 1pm. Come and join us for a fun morning of play, music and talks. If you are looking for a nursery that offers high staff ratios, flexible hours and latest evidence-based teaching, join us on 1st March. Email: [email protected] to book a place.

Don't underestimate the under 5's! + Chinese New Year at Puss in Boots nursery.

Variety of learning, outings, forest school, arts and crafts :)

Loose parts are an important resource at Puss In Boots and indeed many Early years and Primary schools. These are not toys created by the manufacturer with a specific ‘end’ or purpose’ but instead, what might look to the untrained eye like ‘ junk’ or rubbish.

What is Christmas at Puss in Boots like? And why there is no nativity play...

When and how to start teaching ABCs at home and what we do at Puss in Boots to support the children in their learning in preparation for going to school.

"The very existence of youth is to impart the necessity for play. The animal does not play because it is young, the animal has a period of youth because it must play." - Karl Groos

Every week is a fun week at Puss in Boots nursery :)
This week: How to develop an awareness of time and sequences of events in children.

Last week before half-term holidays at Puss in Boots. This is how we learn...

A self-taught science class at Puss in Boots last week :)

New beginnings, New friends :)
- Take joy in your child’s new attachments! -
At this time of year, there are many new relationships being built at Puss In Boots. For our older children, these are burgeoning friendships with their peers. Once children reach a certain stage, they begin to take joy in cooperative play - it’s not always easy to negotiate and compromise, but it’s well worth it when you find a friend or group who is as enthusiastic about a game of ‘fight the baddies’ or ‘dancing ballerinas’ as you are.
For our younger, newer starters, it’s a time to create a new attachment with an adult. For some parents, seeing their child form a bond with another adult can produce mixed emotions. However, by forming multiple attachments, children learn that they can be safe and cared for by someone who is not a parent, which is so important for their time at nursery and beyond. These attachments do not replace a child’s attachment to a parent, instead they broaden a child’s horizons and give them a positive outlook on their world. So take joy in your child’s new attachments!

*Week of 16-20th September 2024 @ Puss in Boots*

We will let the multitude of photos speak for themselves about the fullness of our week at PIB.

You will spot many photos of children looking skyward. This is because the Balloon Problem/Journey of discovery from last week STILL hasn't been solved! The 'mystery' of a helium balloon stuck on the ceiling of our hall has resulted in so much teaching and learning along the way.

The role of adults was to encourage children to think and suggest hypotheses based on their existing knowledge of the world whilst also choosing moments to introduce new knowledge and to extend the project in ways children could not have done alone.

This week, to get the balloon down, we tried a drone, other balloons, helium and non-helium, and even a kite. Unexpectedly, the kite flew, but only when some children and adults ran with it and not with others. This provoked lots of discussions and Whys. No luck with downing the balloon yet...

The Balloon problem in Rainbow room

Children noticed and asked about the helium balloon stuck on our ceiling in the first week - and we planned to explore this further this past week. Binoculars provided on Monday kicked off the investigations, with learning about how to use those, (and share them!). We had some amazing discussions around the best approach - you will see a record of children’s thoughts - and also some photos of various attempts to reach that balloon following children’s suggestions- will moving the climbing frame work? What about jumping, or ropes? Don’t forget that although it may seem obvious to adults that the climbing frame, or ‘jumping’ will never enable us to reach our 25-foot high church hall ceiling, children need to learn this by ‘doing’. So we tried everything. Then there were some suggestions that children made playing with their imaginative worlds - calling an imaginary friend with a ladder, using dragon wings, or a helicopter... Or maybe fairy wings… We covered all 7 areas, with conversations, problem-solving, physical skills being tested, maths as we pieced back together the square climbing frame in a new place, drawing. Perhaps even more importantly we developed our characteristics of effective learning - we used what we knew to come up with ideas, we dared to try them out, we persisted when things didn’t work and tried something else. This enquiry project was sparked by children's initial fascination with balloon stuck out of reach on our 25 foot high ceiling. Then past teachers planned some prompts or 'provocations' to continue children's lines of enquiry. And following this week's discussions we have more in store for next week...

Welcome back!

Good teachers in any sector, know that the best teaching starts from where the students are - from our knowledge and observations of their developmental stage. It keys into their current interests, fascinations, and learning drives. We start the week having observed our children the previous week and we ask ourselves, “what might inspire this group, what hypothesis might they enjoy investigating or continue investigating this week (how to make the water wheels spin faster, What is a HUGE number, what might a monster eat, how to build a rescue helicopter…) We then plan the resources and teaching to offer, some for independent investigation, and some that involve direct teaching by an adult of new skills or knowledge. This we share with you. BUT... although we may have an idea of where this will go, this pre-planning never fills our week. Superior teaching and learning responds to the children’s responses. Only once we have offered the resources or enquiries to the children, do we know whether this has led to deep-level learning, or perhaps children took the project in a different but equally valuable direction. Perhaps the project is too challenging, or not enough. During the week we observe, discuss, and tweak, and plan accordingly.

After an end-of-year picnic at Kenwood House, we closed the red doors for the summer. We look forward to seeing everyone again in September ♥