Nursery and Pre-School
Some exciting changes are taking place in the nursery and pre-school at Banstead Prep from September 2024.
Our ethos remains the same – that our youngest children fully embrace the freedom of independent learning through play within the structure of the school day. Children will be well prepared for their next educational challenge, ready for Reception and the exciting prep school education beyond.
Pre-school learning will take place in classrooms equipped specifically for early education and following our future focussed curriculum, developed in partnership with Kingston University and designed to spark curiosity, support child led learning and develop future skills. Phonics, Literacy and Maths is taught in the same way as in the main school.
The children also benefit from the full range of subject specialist teaching and facilities for which Banstead Prep is renowned, and the core timetable includes PE, Music, Languages, STEM and Outdoor Learning.
We also know the time pressures many parents face and, with this in mind, we provide extremely flexible wraparound and sibling care, to ensure a personalised service for each of our families.
Curriculum
In our Early Years classrooms, the children can freely access activities covering all areas of learning every day. Each session on the timetable includes a focussed activity, led by an adult and covering a specific area of the curriculum, with which the children are encouraged to engage. Alongside these, they will explore other activities in the classroom that are carefully designed to challenge, inspire and develop curiosity. During Explore and Enhance sessions, the activities enhance prior learning and explore all key learning areas, so that children can embed their learning through play, reinforcing their skills and knowledge in a fun and engaging way.
With a balanced and child-centered approach to phonics and literacy, our phonics sessions follow the Read Write Inc scheme. Activities are designed to be playful and engaging and appropriate for your child's developmental stage to encourage a love for reading and writing to build a strong foundation for future learning.
Literacy sessions develop children's reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. We engage the children in discussions about the stories they have heard, enhancing their comprehension and vocabulary. Curiosity for mark making is developed with pre-writing activities such as “funky finger time”, drawing and tracing to develop fine motor skills.
Mastery maths is an approach that ensures children develop a deep, long-term and adaptable understanding of mathematics. It emphasises fluency, problem-solving and reasoning skills, allowing children to fully grasp mathematical concepts before moving on to more complex ideas. In pre-school these sessions are engaging, interactive and tailored to each child's stage of development. Through practical activities and play, children build confidence and a positive attitude towards Maths.
All age groups at Banstead Prep use White Rose Maths - a pioneering educational initiative - and variety of resources and techniques to make learning maths fun. Children learn to recognise numbers and count objects using items like counters, blocks and numicon. They play counting and sequencing games, sing number songs, explore puzzles and use a variety of measuring tools.
Our STEM activities are hands-on, inquiry-based to develop critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills as part of everyday learning in Pre-school.
STEM education integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into cohesive learning experiences. These are intertwined with appropriate digital learning, such as educational interactive games and simple coding activities that teach the fundamentals of sequencing and problem-solving.
Visitng and exploring our STEM lab sparks curiosity. Activities such as mixing colours, observing changes in materials and exploring the properties of water occur daily. We engage the five senses, smelling scents, tasting foods and feeling textures. Projects like constructing bridges, towers or simple machines develops planning and critical thinking skills.
Within these sessions the children explore and learn outdoors, observing plants, animals, and weather, and discuss their findings. They participate in cooking classes, exploring new foods, building social skills and mathematical understanding. We encourage them to follow their own journey of enquiry.
Our Creative and Performing Arts sessions are inclusive, engaging for young learners. By creating an environment that encourages and stimulates children’s creative imagination, they can solve problems and are free to express and be themselves.
Our multi-sensory approach provides opportunities to explore creativity, express emotions and promotes language and curiosity. Playdough, putty, foam, kinetic sand plays supports development of fundamental early writing skills and finger dexterity. By exploring materials and techniques to create artworks, the children can express their ideas and emotions visually.
With continuous access to role play, the children are able to dress up and act out various roles, promoting empathy and understanding of different perspectives. With our specialist Music teacher they learn and perform simple songs, nursery rhymes, and musical games that enhance their auditory skills and rhythm. Hands-on experience with musical instruments such as drums, tambourines, and maracas, develops understanding of different sounds and rhythms.
We have also nurtured a special and unique relationship with Signature Care Home, where the children and residents participate in 'Boogie Beat' sessions together!
As part of our comprehensive curriculum, the children have PE sessions led by our specialist sports staff. Sports sessions develop physical abilities, coordination, and social skills through structured play and physical activities. These sessions help children build confidence, understand the value of teamwork and promote an active lifestyle.
Learning a new language at an early age can provide numerous benefits, from cognitive development to cultural awareness. Your child will learn a love of languages with our specialist language teacher in their Little Linguists sessions. Our teachers use a variety of methods to cater to different learning styles, ensuring that each child can engage with and benefit from the sessions.
Our "Understanding the World" sessions help children make sense of their environment, people, and communities. Children explore cultural festivals and traditions through stories, music, and crafts to appreciate diversity and understand different cultures. Sharing stories and activities about family traditions reinforces a sense of identity and belonging. These activities support the EYFS goals by helping children build a foundation for lifelong learning and respect for their environment and community.
Allowing children time to pursue their interests is a highly valuable part of their day. Opportunities to explore, freely and uninterrupted, our newly furbished indoor and outdoor learning areas facilitate early learning and development areas. The children can access soft play, mud kitchens sand and water play, as well as a role play area, reading zone and construction, which provide opportunities to use their imagination whilst immersed in a safe and stimulating environment, where they are free to be themselves.
This session prompts children to play and make their own sense of the world around them, allowing their curiosity to grow. Practitioners are there to facilitate the children’s play, supporting them emotionally and socially and helping them to develop these skills.
This important part of your child’s day is when a lot of their learning and character development becomes enhanced - simply through play!
Virtual Tour of Nursery Classrooms