Honeybees and bumblebees

Our pre school room is a fantastic space. There is the ‘main room’ and an adjoining conservatory, both of which provide open access to our outdoor space, due to being situated on the group floor. Whilst still having a large focus on child initiated play and activities, we begin to create a more structured routine, having small group circle times that include phonic and maths sessions. We are proud of our loose parts area in this room, which provides a range of natural materials for children to create pictures patterns and structures with, helping to develop their imagination. We also have several role play areas, a playdough station and a creative area, alongside plenty of other resources for children to use as they wish. The resources are stored at ground level, so that children can access them when desired.
 

The room is split into two age groups:
 

Honeybee children are our youngest pre school children. Children join this age group when they turn three, or shortly afterwards, and remain a honeybee until the start of the academic year before they join school.

Bumblebee children are our eldest group of children at nursery. Children join the bumblebee group in the September the year before they start school. Whilst honeybee and bumblebee children share the pre school room space and resources, they might have separate circle times and group activities.
Facilities within the preschool room also include a changing area, and child sized toilets and sinks.
To help prepare children for school, we focus on helping the children become more independent. This might include practicing putting on coats to go outside, putting on their own shoes, and having a go at serving themselves at meal times (with adult supervision).