What makes our Nursery so magical?
What makes our Nursery so magical?
Our ‘Outstanding’ Magic Tree Nursery is based in the old stables block of Swarcliffe Hall, at Belmont Grosvenor School, however, is as far removed from its former use as can possibly be imagined! Making use of our stunning 20 acres of grounds, children move freely from indoors to the outdoor space and we provide a home-away-from-home for our children. We pride ourselves on developing lifelong curiosity and confidence through play and adventure and we provide a warm and caring environment that welcomes everyone into our family.
We offer outstanding care for children from 3 months to 4 years old, with the majority of our children transitioning into the Belmont Grosvenor School Reception class. Children enjoy access to four main rooms, each designed specifically for a child’s age and developmental stage.
Facilities
Outside of the classroom spaces, all the children have access to the paddock which includes an extensive garden with planting beds, a mud kitchen, digging area, sensory box, slide and tunnels for exploration. There is also the playground with bikes, climbing frames and team game resources. Our sensory garden allows children to explore different materials and see apples grow around them. The stables hall is a larger space for music/drama activities, as well as a soft play for the younger children. On top of that, our nursery children have access to the entire grounds of BGS, including the swimming pool, forest school, trim-trail and of course, the Magic Tree itself!
Food and meal times
Mealtimes are an important part of the day, and children have the opportunity to develop a healthy understanding of, and relationship with their food. Food is a vital part of a child’s development. To ensure variety our menu runs on a four-weekly rota.
An example of our food and times throughout the day are as follows:
- Breakfast 8-8.45am – A variety of cereals, toast, fruit and a drink
- Morning snack 9.30-10am – Fruit, cheese, crackers and a drink (milk or water)
- Lunch time 12-12.30pm – Freshly prepared hot meal, pudding, fruit or yoghurt and a drink
- Afternoon snack 2.30-3pm – Savoury snack and a drink
- High tea 5-5.30pm – different small bites for example sandwiches, dips, pitas, crumpets, soups, pudding and a drink
Transition to Belmont Grosvenor School
The transition between Nursery and ‘Big School’ is an important time of change for both children and parents and fully preparing our children is an important aspect of life at Magic Tree. The majority of our children go on to join the reception class at Belmont Grosvenor and to help this transition, pre-reception children are automatically allocated a place in our school’s Reception class and children benefit from this continuity. As reception is the final year of the EYFS, their classroom is located within the Magic Tree Nursery which supports an easy transition for our pre-reception children.
Both Jo Henderson (Magic Tree Manager) and Mr. Sadler (Headmaster) ensures that both the Magic Tree and Belmont Grosvenor staff work very closely together, sharing their expert knowledge of the children, as well as the facilities around them. As children move through Magic Tree Nursery, they spend more time in the main school, eating in the dining room as well as taking part in the Christmas nativities.
Children settle very quickly into Belmont Grosvenor, having been well-prepared for the next chapter in their school life.
