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Little Palms has stimulating approach to early years development and learning for very young children. Within a safe, friendly and fun environment, children are supported by qualified, caring staff in developing a wide range of skills and interests. The children enjoy learning through play experiences in bright indoor and outdoor play areas.  We are nationally managed by the ÎÞÂëÌìÌÃ, one of the largest providers of childcare in England with over 50 years experience delivering childcare and practical, professional support to early years practitioners.

Our nursery plans its activities with the children's interests at the Center and in accordance with the EYFS with a strong focus on exploratory, imaginative play and healthy eating. We recognise and understand the huge benefits that free flow play has on the positive development of very young children. Every child in our care is supported by a key person who understands their individual needs and offers special care and support to them. health & safety and safeguarding policies and procedures are in place to ensure that every child is protected and feels safe and happy with us.

The children learn through play and we follow the EYFS guidelines. Our daily routine incorporates all aspects of the early learning goals, and we do this through a wide variety of activities within our indoor and outside space.

Natural resources have enhanced the small world provision and this is enabling the children to extend their imagination in their play. Small world and imaginative play help the children to develop relationships with peers and adults, using language and interactions whilst playing alongside each other

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development - All children have a key person, which incorporates group times, stories and games, circle games, mealtimes, helping children with independence and develop a sense of belonging. We have resources including emotion pebbles, books and pictures that enable children to talk about how they are feelings.
• Communication and Language - We have a range of books available throughout the nursery environment, both fiction and non-fiction books. Imaginative play develop positive relationships with children and practitioners, extending and supporting language development. Our book area has been enhanced giving children the opportunity to sit and read books and listen to stories in a comfortable environment.
• Physical Development â€“ Our garden at Little Palms gives opportunities to run, climb, hop and jump, and to explore whilst managing risk and challenge, investigate and explore their environment. Indoors children are developing new skills including self-serving at snacks and meal times, cutting own and pouring own drinks. They feed themselves using utensil , use scissors for cutting, pencils, paint brushes and tools for mark making and construction and threading
• Literacy â€“ Children have opportunities to develop a love of books, singing songs and rhymes. Throughout their time at Little Palms children are able to join in familiar stories, repeating phrases alongside looking at books independently and shared experiences with their peers and adults. Opportunities to mark make and talk about their pictures, to write and recognise letters from own name and to take part in activities that include letters and sounds and early talkers. Children are able to self-mark their name following snacks.
• Mathematics â€“ Children have opportunities counting, rhyming and singing number songs. They discover and explore quantity, empty and filling containers, size and shape, looking for shapes and numbers in the environment and exploring patterns. Children use construction materials building towers and creating arrangements, using positional language and sequencing times and events in their day.
• Understanding the World – The children develop a sense of belonging whilst at Little Palms and parents are encouraged to be a part of this, providing photographs linking to our activities, based on children’s interests. Children have been developing the garden, growing seeds, plants and vegetables and entering these into a local village show. Children show their own identity building friendships and developing and understanding of what they have in common and what makes us different.  Children have opportunities to investigate ITC resources which include remote control cars, torches and light boxes.  
• Expressive Arts and Design â€“ Little Palms provides opportunities for children to explore and engage in creative and sensory activities, from mark making to painting, play dough and gloop, gluing and sticking. Children dance and sing using music, scarves and tapping out their name.  Role play and being imaginative is based on children’s interests, enhanced by creating areas such a beach, a garden Centre and a kitchen.

The children have been exploring some seasonal activities. We have been planting seeds with the children and growing plants, flowers and vegetables. The children were inspired and painted sunflowers which we displayed. Alongside this we had a garden Centre role play and planting area for the children to explore. We celebrated their success of growing vegetables by entering into a local village show and we are very proud the children were awarded a Highly Commended for their runner beans.

We created an indoor beach which the children have been able to dig, fill, tip and pour. The have searched for buried treasure and this led onto drawing our own treasure maps. They have sold ice creams to their friends, cooperating with each other, turn taking and using numbers in their play.

We have extended the children’s self-help skills, and the children now dish up their own lunches, alongside being more independent at snack times, preparing and cutting fruit, pouring own drinks and washing up their dishes. They also have the opportunity to self-register at snack time by writing and marking their own name.

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To arrange a visit please contact Peter Curnnow-Yates, Nursery Manager on 01803 290471 or email littlepalms@eyalliance.org.uk