In the Senior Room, we have an excellent team who are dedicated to creating a warm, loving, secure, caring and nurturing environment for all children.

Every child is respected for their individuality; their unique characteristics are applauded, nurtured and given every opportunity to develop.

Our aims are simple:

• Security : To create a secure, nurturing, encouraging environment which enables the children to feel confident and happy.
• Every Child A Talker : To provide a confident environment that encourages the children to communicate their thoughts, feelings and needs to their peers and staff. We take time to listen to each child. We understand the importance of role play activities and incorporate these daily both indoors and outdoors to develop their imagination and build and develop their vocabulary.
• School Readiness : Preparing the children for the next stage in their education in an important part of Senior Room activity. Links with local schools make for a natural transition.

The senior room planning follows weekly themes based on either a ‘sound of the week’ or relevant cultural and topical events.

Enrichment Programme

A particularly distinctive feature of Downside Nursery School is its Curriculum Enrichment Programme. Consistent feedback from parents is that they choose Downside Nursery School because of this range of enrichment activities which enhances our EYFS curriculum and helps specifically prepare the children for forward thinking, independent skills and school readiness. Once the children move into the Senior room, the range of additional enrichment activities (Phonics, Gymnastics, French, Music and Art Club) are carefully designed to complement and extend our EYFS curriculum as described below.

Phonics

For example, we have a sound of the week that we explore throughout the week as part of our EYFS curriculum and to extend this, those pre-school children who do the Phonics enrichment session with us on Mondays complete a phonics workbook each term, which introduces this learning for the week. These children are beginning to recognise sounds and phonics and even write these, which makes their transition to school and their enjoyment of reading and writing particularly positive. 

Gymnastics : On Tuesday we provide gymnastics classes as part of our enrichment programme which help to develop the children's physical skills, most notably, their core strength, balance and co-ordination, giving them body confidence and extending their physical abilities. These sessions are run by a L3 Qualified National Gymnastics coach. 

French : On Wednesdays our French enrichment sessions provide an introduction to French speaking, language and culture. Children learn numbers, colours and customary greetings in French through a range of fun activities and crafts. During French week, the children make their own passports and travel through the channel tunnel! Experiencing the (douene) customs and other role play. These sessions are taught by an experienced, qualified teacher of French. 

Music : Thursday brings our Music enrichment sessions with Nina, a professional musician who provides weekly live music and movement sessions, teaching the children about rhythm, rhyme and stories through singing. The children experience a range of musical instruments and the contribution they make to live music. These sessions with Nina, inspire the children's enthusiasm and confidence and the children will often be heard singing the songs they have learnt with Nina around the tables at lunchtime. 

Art Club : On Friday, we run Art Club enrichment sessions, which the children look forward to and are excited to learn a new art skill or process with something to take home with them at the end of the session. This was developed in liaison with the Bookham Arts Society which provided initial support and encouragement to the nursery, which was such a success we adopted it as a regular enrichment session. 

Should you wish to withdraw your child from the Enrichment Programme on the days they attend nursery, you should notify us in writing and the cost will not be charged on your invoice and your child will not be included on the register for these Enrichment activities. 

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