All About Us
Anyone passing through Ramsbury during term time will be welcomed by the chorus of young voices playing, learning and having fun. If you stop and look, you will see children working together building dens, risk taking on a log obstacle course or potion creating in the mud kitchen, while our highly qualified staff (usually down on the ground) support learning and development through purposeful interactions
Our learning spaces – Inspiring awe and wonder
Village space
Set in a prime position in the village we make the very best of our well designed and purpose built building. Free-flow between inside and outside space allows for children to follow their interests and to learn in their own individual way.
From small group work in our ‘quiet room’ and sensory exploration, to the preparation and eating of snacks in our ‘cafe’, every experience is a learning opportunity.
Outside, children bake and create in the mud kitchen, our challenge zone encourages risky play, while our green roof and rainwater garden encourage a curiosity about the environment and how things work.
Woodland space
We have been fortunate enough to have been donated a small piece of woodland by the Wilson’s of Rudge Farm Estate to establish our outdoor classroom. Over the course of 2024 we have been developing the site into a wonderful outdoor space where children can emerse themselves into the environment, building confidence and resilience as well as boosting their physical fitness.
What we learn
We follow the Early Years Foundation Skills (EYFS) framework, a statutory framework that sets out the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop, are kept healthy and safe and have the knowledge and skills they need to start school. The EYFS curriculum is focused on the core subject knowledge and skills known as the “Prime Areas of Learning” – Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Physical Development. Every activity we do and every toy the children have access to play with are designed to support developing skills in one or more of these areas.
Looking beyond EYFS
At Ramsbury PreSchool we value every child, recognising that each cohort has different needs and interests. We constantly look beyond the EYFS curriculum to identify opportunities, skills and experiences that complement the children and that they may not have access to ordinarily. This ensures that when children come to start school they are not only academically prepared but also emotionally resilient, socially adept and deeply connected to the world in which they live.
Creative, Extraordinary Activities
Outdoor Learning
In addition to our ad hoc nature exploring around PreSchool and Ramsbury village we are now able to provide all children with weekly sessions in our new outdoor woodland classroom.
Being outdoors is not merely an optional extra. It is an essential component of a child’s early development. It enriches physical, social, emotional and cognitive development with research showing that through following an outdoor learning, hands on process children’s self esteem, self confidence, and their ability to work cooperatively develops hugely.
Under the watchful eye of our highly trained forest school leaders children’s eyes are opened to life beyond toys and technology and encouraged to appreciate the wonder in our natural world.
Outdoor learning takes place year-round; it is not just a fair-weather experience. Children come ready and raring to go, fully suited and booted to enable a fully immersive outdoor experience.
Skills and processes
Children are naturally very curious and keen to
make sense of the world around them. It is through these interactions that they learn and make connections with previous learning. Throughout their time at Ramsbury Pre-School children have the opportunity to use, explore and develop a wide range of skills all with a clear purpose.
For example they will explore how to join two materials together, exploring if Sellotape, masking tape, a stapler, pva glue or maybe tying with string will secure things better
Other skills we have explored have been mixing their own paint, grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle to make potions, weaving with paper and fabric. Throughout each interaction we focus upon the process, the learning that is taking place, rather than the final product!
Cooking
Learning where food comes from, what it tastes like and how to cook simple items is something that we feel is very important, encouraging children to try new and unfamiliar flavours.
Throughout the whole cooking process the children are active participants, learning the safe use of real tools and gaining first hand experience of cooking over a stove. From using peelers and child knives to using hand whisks and mortar and pestles children are encouraged and supported every step of the way.
Whilst the highlight is often the munching at the end, we can guarentee that your child will love their cooking experience at Ramsbury PreSchool.
Balance bikes
Developing a strong core and providing
opportunities to explore a range of gross motor skills is a priority within Ramsbury Pre-School and vital in developing muscles needed for future learning and development.
We are lucky to have a fleet of Frog balance bikes and child sized helmets that we use as part of our gross motor challenges. Throughout their time at Pre-School your child will learn not only how to mount, push and balance on a bike but also some basic bike safety skills.
Risky play and use of real tools
Risky play does not mean dangerous play, but it does mean fun! At Ramsbury Pre-School we create environments that allow children to take controlled risks without running into real hazards. Risky play is thrilling, exciting and challenging.
Whilst there is a risk of physical injury, it helps children test their own limits, to explore and establish their own boundaries, whilst all the time building self-confidence and resilience. At Ramsbury Pre-School we provide plentiful opportunities for climbing, sliding, balancing, jumping and hanging, rolling or using (fully supervised!) real tools including hammers and screwdrivers.
We also provide opportunities to interact with natural elements such as fire. This year the children were thrilled they were able to use a flint and steel to light their own mini fires!
My son described being in the outdoor classroom as "literally the best day of my life"!
Inspiring – Nurturing – Experienced
Our Staff
We are led by qualified teachers with both the head and deputy having many years of experience in schools and early years settings. We recognise the value that qualified Early Years specialists have in providing the best learning opportunities for children and therefore :
- We have 3 fully qualified Foundation and Key Stage 1 teachers
- All other staff are qualified to Level 2 and above
- The majority of staff are parents themselves and have first hand experience of the ups and downs that children bring!
- Our qualified Forest School teachers lead our outdoor learning programme
- All staff are paediatric first aid trained
- We have an annual training programme covering speech and language development, brain development, safeguarding, behaviour management, health and safety, and food hygiene,
One of our key values is GROWTH, for both our children and staff. All our happy and motivated staff are learning and developing at any time and they are encouraged and supported in doing so. Staff regularly meet with and observe other professionals to share good practice, develop their own learning and reflect on how we can make the most of this in our own curriculum
Our Committee
In addition to our staff, we have a Management Committee run by local volunteers and parents who guide and support the PreSchool.
What this means it that throughout the time your child attends our Pre School you can be directly involved in how it runs. We are always keen for new members to join the Committee, but there are also other ways to get involved including our regular parent feedback sessions and fundraising events.
This special setup allows us to set our own standards and goals, and work in the best way possible for the children, their families and our local community.
Your team are amazing! There is always such a warm welcome at the door (even when I’m late!!), and whoever it is ALWAYS says hello to me AND my son AND my daughter - which is really lovely! It just feels like you all have time for each child and each parent and that means a lot.
Support for all
Our Children
Our children are at the heart of everything we do and every decision we make. At Ramsbury PreSchool we recognise that every child is unique and has their own individual ways of learning and passions. Our teaching staff continually reflect on our practice and curriculum to best meet the needs of the current cohort of children and their interests.
Our SENco and Head work closely with parents of children with identified educational needs to ensure they receive the best support both inside and outside of the setting.
Our Families
At Ramsbury PreSchool we understand that parenting can sometimes feel truly overwhelming. We believe it is just as important for us to support our families as it is to support our children. Our door is always open for parents or guardians to discuss any concerns they have or simply to seek our advice.
Throughout the course of the year we also offer a number of parental workshops covering topics such a behaviour, communication and language and preparation for the transition to reception. Parents have told us they find these incredibly informative and reassuring to understand the different stages of their child’s development.
Our Community
Belonging and involvement are two of the values at the core of what we do. We would not exist without the families and our community. Started 40 years ago by parents as a playgroup, the Pre-School has evolved into what it is today, a progressive nurturing Early years setting rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
Being within a small village we believe it is very important to teach the children about community and the environment we live in. We can often be seen out and about litter picking or visiting the local aged care facility to sing songs, read stories or just to say hello.
Annually we participate in the Ramsbury Street Fayre supporting the raising of funds for other local charities as well as our own.