The Hedgehog class caters for children ages approximately 3 -5 years. The classroom can hold up to 21 children with 3 members of staff.
We provide opportunities for children to learn through play, via a wide range of exciting experiences, resources and activities.
In the hedgehogs we support the children lots with gaining their own independence. We begin to encourage the children to put on their own coats, pour drinks, cut up fruit at snack times and we also support children with toilet training.
The classroom is also the last room before the children go to school. We have developed good links with local schools and we support children in a variety of ways to prepare them for school to ensure that it is a smooth transition.
As in all of our classrooms, we plan for the children’s learning based on their individual needs and interests. We follow ‘next steps’, ideas for opportunities/activities based on the children's own interests e.g. if your child spoke a lot about their visit to the zoo we would: make animal masks, read animal stories, play with animals in the messy tray with leaves or sand and move like animals at group time etc.
At the end of each morning session we hold a circle/group time. This is a time for all children to come together as a group. During this time the children use their ‘thinking heads, looking eyes, listening ears, talking mouths and smelling noses!’. This is a time to share stories, explore music and instruments as loud as we can! We also sing songs at the top of our voices!
In the Hedgehog class we continue the children's learning stories and relate our observations to ‘The Early Years Foundation Stage’. A learning story is a personal record of the child's achievements throughout their time at nursery. These are usually sent home termly to give you a chance to see what your child gets up to at nursery. They are also available at anytime for you to take home and look at. These include observations, photos and pieces of the children's individual work.
In order to have good links between the nursery and home we have a Class Book and ‘Bertie Bear’s Diary’.
The class book contains a personal page about each child's interests, favourite things to do, family etc. This gets taken home by each of the children to create together at home.
Bertie is our class bear. He visits each child's home for about a week and keeps a diary of all the exciting things he gets up to!