Overview
Merrieleas Nursery is open to all because, at this age, the benefits of girls and boys playing and learning together are enormous. The atmosphere is deliberately relaxed; we have no uniform and children all know staff by their first names.
The Nursery has its own space in the attractive barn block, comprising six classrooms, a library and secure, outdoor play space. We also make full use of the school's facilities and 40 acre grounds for everything from nature trails to our own sports day.
Results
Imaginative play is at the heart of the nursery; teaching sessions are interspersed with regular breaks, during which the children can run off their energy safely in a fenced, secure play area of their own.
We offer them the space to be children because the development of a child’s social skills is important. Therefore, we encourage the children and reward them for kindness and helpfulness towards one another. Both years spend time together so that the children meet and make friends with children from the other group.
We employ specialist teachers for music, sports, drama, swimming and French. In the final half term, every child also spends time with qualified speech and language coaches to hone their linguistic skills and give them the confidence to participate fully in the life of their pre-prep school.
Sports
We hold our own sports day, at which parents are welcome. This encourages friendly competitiveness amongst the children but is mainly an excuse to run around and shout a lot. The River Mole runs right through the school grounds, which also contain fields and woodland, providing a safe place to find out about nature in all its forms.
The school’s heated, indoor swimming pool is also well-used and the Nursery operates its own swimming club under the supervision of a qualified member of staff.
Arts
Art plays an important part in the children’s development and we encourage creativity at all stages of the nursery programme. Each nursery room is full of the children’s art work and we organise exhibitions both in the nursery and in the main school buildings, so that all parents and boys get a chance to see what their siblings and other children in the nursery are doing.
Storytelling and role play help the children cooperate with one another to create something bigger and more exciting than they would be capable of on their own.
Music
The children love the wide variety of musical opportunities they receive at Parkside; periods each week are devoted to music and movement where balance, rhythm and imagination evolve. Nascent musical talent often comes to the fore at this stage.
Information Technology (IT)
The children take the short walk to the school’s networked computer suite for their regular IT sessions. Time spent here builds numeracy and literacy as well as their budding IT skills.