Nursery Organisation

[fluffy]

I was wondering if anybody would be willing to share their experiences of Nursery routines . . .

Our nursery currently has 26 chdn and 2 adults and there is access to a designated outdor area. So during child inititated time there is currently 1 member of staff in each area (indoors / out). My concern is that, as there is only 1 membr of staff in each area - if that person is undertaking focus activity - they are not there to provide play support / modelling language etc to the chdn who are not engaged in the focus activity.

 

How do others with the same numbers work their routine?

[Guest]

We are PVI so ratio is different, we have 27 ch currently and 5 staff, they have routines to be doing but not set areas

 

 

We free flow so if more ch are out than in then more staff migrate to outside, If this happens I try to have 2 in and 3 out, but it does depend on where the little people are playing

[flowlow]

We work more like this too. Where the children go we go. We have found that if you do more of an objective led planning you can still have that focus but because its a focus on the skill rather than the activity it free's us up to go with the children but still 'teach' the skill.

[Fredbear]

Yes same for us but with 6 staff members, where the children go the staff will follow.

Free choice and free flow.

How on earth do you manage if a child needs help with personal care.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dreamgirl]

We work more like this too. Where the children go we go. We have found that if you do more of an objective led planning you can still have that focus but because its a focus on the skill rather than the activity it free's us up to go with the children but still 'teach' the skill.

 

Can you give me an example of what objective/skill you embed in this way? Would like to follow this type of approach.

[catma]

Yes, with a focus on the learning rather than the doing you can still teach skills in many different contexts.

 

If your environment is also planned carefully to support the practice of skills as well as engage/motivate children then they can still be learning whilst away from an adult. Equally the type of adult activity, especially outside makes a difference - larger group activities that are more active are best so children can carry on for a short while whilst you deal with anything that comes up, and also keep supervision of what else is happening.

 

 

How on earth do you manage if a child needs help with personal care.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lucky providers who can have such high ratios eh? One of the down sides of having QTS I'm afraid. Often the other children will have to come in so the second adult can deal with a single child's needs.

 

Cx

[Fredbear]

Oh I agree Catma, but QTS certainly doesn't give you another pair of hands. Which I personally still feel should be a priority working with such young children. I think your all fantastic by the way, not a criticism on your part, just the system I guess.

[flowlow]

Can you give me an example of what objective/skill you embed in this way? Would like to follow this type of approach.

there was a link on here to abcdoes which is where I got the idea from originally but essentially you just look at what is needed in term of skill so it might be to build a narrative into play, or to write some familiar letters, or follow simple instructions, use some number names in play etc... and then you just take that objective to where the children are rather than getting them to come to you. So number names in play could be explored at the cars, the trains, the play dough table, on a bug hunt where ever you are and where ever the children are you work with it. At the moment it is a newer way of working so my team are all doing the same objective at this stage (partly because of the volume of children that need the skills we have chosen, and partly while we get used to working in this way) there are some great examples on the abcdoes website and you just adapt to your setting, age of children and their needs. It is such a good way to work and we have found less stressful and far more productive for everybody.

[flowlow]

he also has a book out in Amazon that I ordered and it has some good examples in there too.

[dreamgirl]

he also has a book out in Amazon that I ordered and it has some good examples in there too.

Thanks! Xxx

[Guest]

there was a link on here to abcdoes which is where I got the idea from originally but essentially you just look at what is needed in term of skill so it might be to build a narrative into play, or to write some familiar letters, or follow simple instructions, use some number names in play etc... and then you just take that objective to where the children are rather than getting them to come to you. So number names in play could be explored at the cars, the trains, the play dough table, on a bug hunt where ever you are and where ever the children are you work with it. At the moment it is a newer way of working so my team are all doing the same objective at this stage (partly because of the volume of children that need the skills we have chosen, and partly while we get used to working in this way) there are some great examples on the abcdoes website and you just adapt to your setting, age of children and their needs. It is such a good way to work and we have found less stressful and far more productive for everybody.

 

We have worked like this for many years, it works really well, glad it works for you. We find WBI really high because our children are playing/learning with what interests them