About Us
EAST LEAKE DAY NURSERY occupies purpose-built, single storey premises set amidst the very special setting of MANOR FARM ANIMAL CENTRE AND DONKEY SANCTUARY. The nursery was opened in 1996 and has now grown to offer full day childcare for those under school age supported by an AFTER-SCHOOL and HOLIDAY CLUB.
We are a happy and lively team who strive to deliver the EARLY YEARS Mission Statement. We embrace the six areas of the national Early Learning Goals (Personal - Social and Emotional Development, Intellectual Development, Knowledge and Understanding of the World, Physical Development, Creative Development, Language and Literacy) and help children grow and develop through exciting and interactive learning opportunities and, not least, through play.
Our Nursery rooms offer a friendly and comfortable environment for children, staff and parents/carers. Children enjoy learning through fun and we ensure there are lots of opportunities for role play / dressing up and singing / making music, etc. As with other Group nurseries, all rooms have a carpeted area for quiet times, stories and table-top activities and a practical floor area that provides opportunities for messy play - sand, water, painting, craft, etc.

Throughout the year children will be involved in a variety of special topics and 'fun' days to introduce them to a wide range of cultural festivals and charitable fundraising opportunities.

Children are encouraged to join in and express themselves during group sessions and 'circle time' to help them develop confident social and communication skills. They are given plenty of opportunity to practice their basic skills in literacy and numeracy and their Development Records show how they have grown during their time with us. There are PCs in the Rainbow and Pre-school rooms for the use of the children.

Our rooms consist of:

Baby Room, Tots, Toddlers, Rainbow Room and Pre-school

Baby Room
Here we take special care of our 'brand new' youngsters (and their parents/carers!) The qualified team members are supported by more experienced and junior trainees who 'pander to every need and whim' of their young charges.

We have:
· a comfortable carpet area for children when they start to explore
· a messy area for tactile exploration such as 'Our First Hand And Foot Print'
· a pram room for our much-needed sleep time

Tots
Our babies move up to the Tots Room when they have built a level of confidence and are obviously wanting to explore their environment - so much so that we need safety catches on all our internal gates!

Our qualified team are again supported by trainees and are kept on their toes introducing exciting new play and learning opportunities to the children. Development Records at this age often start to show children's individual progress and we are able to begin to offer appropriate focussed support.

Our room has:
· a large carpeted play area
· a messy play area for discovering paint, sand, water, etc.
· a quiet sleep room, where children have their own sleep mats
· an adjacent, enclosed outside play area on astro-turf

Toddlers
Children move up to Toddlers when their level of confidence and ability have given them a degree of independence. The structure of the day and facilities allow them to 'have a nap' and quiet times as required.

Our qualified team and their trainees are starting to introduce a little bit of structure into their weekly timetable of activities with reference to the national Early Learning Goals. Children (and staff) make the most of the indoor and outdoor environment.

The room has:
· a large carpeted area for indoor play, stories and a home corner
· a practical floor area for table-top activities, painting and crafts
· an adjacent enclosed outdoor play area covered in astro-turf

Records of children's development are regularly updated.

Rainbow Room
As the children grow in age and experience they move to the Rainbow Room where a wide range of learning activities and play are timetabled. Development Records show children's progress in line with the national Early Learning Goals and individual support is offered as required.

The room has:
· a carpeted area for play, home corner and stories
· a craft area and table-top activities
· a messy play area for sand and water

The Rainbow children use our large outdoor play area with climbing frame, tunnel and slide, a large astro-turf play area, a grass football pitch and a tarmac 'trike' track.

Pre-School Room
As parents/carers begin to think about school, the children move up to the watchful eye of our qualified team in the Pre-School. The staff here regularly update their knowledge of the latest national standards for the Foundation Stage and are supported by an experienced teacher who comes in part-time during school terms. A wide range of activities are timetabled to balance the combined aims of having fun, building confidence and experience, learning through play and through more structured activities. This helps to make the transition to school easier for the children and their parents/carers. Teachers at the new setting have told us that it helps to make their job easier too!

The children enjoy:
· A pre-school area for structured activities
· A carpeted area for play and stories
· A large practical floor area for craft work, and painting
· A messy play area for sand, water, etc.

The Outdoor Environment
Younger children have a safe enclosed play area 'carpeted' with astro-turf adjacent to Tots and Toddlers.

Older, more confident children use the large play areas with a climbing frame/tunnel/slide and a 'Jungle Jim', space for balls, stilts, ropes, etc. There is a 'track' around this area for trikes, etc. In dry weather, children have access to our living willow tunnel and dome and a large grassy play area.

All activities are always under full supervision.

In addition to their regular walks around our affiliated MANOR FARM ANIMAL CENTRE AND DONKEY SANCTUARY, children are taken for walks down to the village shops.

Our Partnership with Parents Policy
As with all our Nurseries, EAST LEAKE DAY NURSERY operates an 'Open Door' policy and encourages parents/carers to feel that they can communicate freely with our qualified team members.

Key Workers record the children's progress and make a special point of sharing it with the parent/carer. Older rooms hold regular 'Open Evenings' to give parents/carers and opportunity to discuss their child's achievements and activities with the staff.

We welcome your interest, whether it is finding out 'what sort of day we have had', or spending time with your child in the nursery.

For any further information regarding East Leake Day Nursery please telephone 01509 854205
or email officeteam@eastleakedaynursery.co.uk with your questions.

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