Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Today at uni we had a lecturer discussing Pen Green, I have read alot about them, and would be interested in going to visit, or organising a visit with the practitioners at my setting. Has anyone got any experiences to share of a visit to Penn Green. I must say it does look like an amazing place. Claire x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 its a wondeful place just to go and look round - never mind having a lecture - i would recomend anyone goes for a nosey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 its a wondeful place just to go and look round - never mind having a lecture - i would recomend anyone goes for a nosey That's what I meant a 'nosey', we had the lecture today LOL. Is it expensive, only our lecturer said you have to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Today at uni we had a lecturer discussing Pen Green, I have read alot about them, and would be interested in going to visit, or organising a visit with the practitioners at my setting. Has anyone got any experiences to share of a visit to Penn Green. I must say it does look like an amazing place. Claire x Ooh cupcake I've been a few times! If you are looking for inspiration its a great place to visit, however I would say that in my experience my visits have been split into three broad emotions:- Depression - why isn't every child in the country able to access this kind of provision? Ah but we could never achieve an environment like this in our setting. Ooh! We could do an element of this or bring this kind of feeling to our provision! You're right - it is the most amazing place. They have so many opportunities for children in terms of a well resourced and organised environment but also children at Pen Green truly feel they are at the centre of everything. I remember being given the tour by the then Head of Centre, who was in full flow about their ethos and grand philosophy when a little girl came and took this important lady by the hand, looked up at her and smiled. She was greeted warmly by name, and invited to come along with the visitors to visit the babies. When we got to one particular part of the building there was a huge bowl of strawerries on a reception desk, and once again the tour was stopped as our host remembered how much the little girl liked strawberries and together they enjoyed quite a few before continuing on again. This little girl was able to tell us about what she liked at her nursery, and clearly knew that her opinion was as valid and as important as any grown up there that day. It was a great thing to witness - obvioiusly there was love and admiration on both sides of that relationship but this wasn't an isolated thing. It is what underpins their practice. Pen Green's budget must be huge - there is a high importance placed on working with parents as true partners and on one of the days I was there we visited the family room where parents are able to stop for coffee, connect with other parents and support workers from the centre. They have a wet room for children to enjoy water play on a whole new level, and a Snozelen area which is just amazing in terms of the sensory experiences it offers. The beach is the biggest sand pit I've ever seen in my life and there is a tower which provides a great aerial view but also doubles up as an art gallery. Outside there is a small cave but also a landscaped area with humps and holes and opportunities to really explore and be physical. There is a huge bridge which spans from one end of the centre to the other, and children have free access to this so they can go and visit their siblings or friends in other areas of the nursery. There is also a fantastic custom built water channelling system which children can adapt and customise so they can decide where water flows and stops, and how it gets moving again. I could go on for hours - and I can bore for England on the topic of my photograph album which I add to each time I visit because each time I go there something new has been added or altered or improved. I feel the need to visit again soon - and if you're lucky enough to visit on certain days of the week there is a fantastic scrap store too! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) I'm going to a conference there on Monday week but I won't have the chance to do the tour round after as I have to get a very long train journey back. But I will go back! I don't know where you are cupcake but I've just spent the day at Early Excellence at Hudderfield which doesn't have the practical experience of children there but is very interesting to visit as an example of an enabling environment. I was there to attend a training session with Paddy Beels from Wingate in the north east and I would love to visit there too as her examples of what they do there are very inspirational. Maz you don't know what days the scrap store is on do you? I could always look at changing my train..... Edited March 5, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Maz you don't know what days the scrap store is on do you? I could always look at changing my train..... Holly they might well let you do a quick tour of the setting during lunch (although when I've been on conferences it has been on a Saturday). Would love to go to Early Excellence too - I've heard nothing but fantastic things about Paddy Beels. Must add that to my 'to do' list, I think. Will see if I can dig out any information on the scrap store - although when we went I bought back some huge lengths of sticky backed fabric so I'm having visions of you struggling home on the train with bagfuls of stuff! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Well I was only planning to take a small bag so I could take a suitcase on wheels! Paddy Beels is def worth seeing, and very down to earth. Both times I've been to things she has done she has started as I would - apologising in advance for trying to cram too much in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Here's a link to Pen Green's website where you can look at the Research Base and at the Centre itself! Just seen a photo on there which reminded me of the fantastic indoor sandpit... and then remembered the role play area and the rocking horse and the baby dog baskets and, and and! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Ooh cupcake I've been a few times! If you are looking for inspiration its a great place to visit, however I would say that in my experience my visits have been split into three broad emotions:- Depression - why isn't every child in the country able to access this kind of provision? Ah but we could never achieve an environment like this in our setting. Ooh! We could do an element of this or bring this kind of feeling to our provision! You're right - it is the most amazing place. They have so many opportunities for children in terms of a well resourced and organised environment but also children at Pen Green truly feel they are at the centre of everything. I remember being given the tour by the then Head of Centre, who was in full flow about their ethos and grand philosophy when a little girl came and took this important lady by the hand, looked up at her and smiled. She was greeted warmly by name, and invited to come along with the visitors to visit the babies. When we got to one particular part of the building there was a huge bowl of strawerries on a reception desk, and once again the tour was stopped as our host remembered how much the little girl liked strawberries and together they enjoyed quite a few before continuing on again. This little girl was able to tell us about what she liked at her nursery, and clearly knew that her opinion was as valid and as important as any grown up there that day. It was a great thing to witness - obvioiusly there was love and admiration on both sides of that relationship but this wasn't an isolated thing. It is what underpins their practice. Pen Green's budget must be huge - there is a high importance placed on working with parents as true partners and on one of the days I was there we visited the family room where parents are able to stop for coffee, connect with other parents and support workers from the centre. They have a wet room for children to enjoy water play on a whole new level, and a Snozelen area which is just amazing in terms of the sensory experiences it offers. The beach is the biggest sand pit I've ever seen in my life and there is a tower which provides a great aerial view but also doubles up as an art gallery. Outside there is a small cave but also a landscaped area with humps and holes and opportunities to really explore and be physical. There is a huge bridge which spans from one end of the centre to the other, and children have free access to this so they can go and visit their siblings or friends in other areas of the nursery. There is also a fantastic custom built water channelling system which children can adapt and customise so they can decide where water flows and stops, and how it gets moving again. I could go on for hours - and I can bore for England on the topic of my photograph album which I add to each time I visit because each time I go there something new has been added or altered or improved. I feel the need to visit again soon - and if you're lucky enough to visit on certain days of the week there is a fantastic scrap store too! Maz I want to go even more now!, it really does sound fantastic and yes the budget must be huge, however the ethos that you speak of is something we are all aiming for I am sure. The coffee/parents sounds great and really informal. Right going to look into the logistics of organising a visit. Claire x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I'm going to a conference there on Monday week but I won't have the chance to do the tour round after as I have to get a very long train journey back. But I will go back! I don't know where you are cupcake but I've just spent the day at Early Excellence at Hudderfield which doesn't have the practical experience of children there but is very interesting to visit as an example of an enabling environment. I was there to attend a training session with Paddy Beels from Wingate in the north east and I would love to visit there too as her examples of what they do there are very inspirational. Maz you don't know what days the scrap store is on do you? I could always look at changing my train..... Hi holly, I am in Somerset, so quite far away, but I am prepared to travel. Will also look into this. Thanks Claire x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 If you go on a week day the "tour" is during the lunch hour so as to limit the disruption to the children. But what a place, their budget must be HUGE. There is so much to take in I really liked the large pully system they had across a sand pit near to the water channels. I would throughly recommend it, as someone else said on here, just to try to take ideas back and recreate them albeit in a small way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I would throughly recommend it, as someone else said on here, just to try to take ideas back and recreate them albeit in a small way. That is certainly something I would recommend for Early Excellence and ideas from Wingate too. It is too easy to fall into the trap of saying "we could never get to that though" and give up (I've done it so I know!). I was talking to a teacher today about the examples of learning stories Paddy Beels showed and the teacher was going down that road. I realised we have come so far towards my original wish which I made about four years ago after seeing something from Wingate or very similar, and I was trying to explain to her how it has been a long, slow process but now I'm very proud of our journey. Just try to do it one step at a time. And now I really must go to bed before I ramble on anyone else's posts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.