St Mary's Preschool, Wootton

Mission Statement:

St Mary’s Preschool encourages each child to develop and flourish in a happy, supportive and secure environment, enabling them to be confident, challenged, and successful and to have high self-esteem. 

We work in partnership with parents and local advisors to understand and provide the highest quality childcare for each child.

We embrace the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and apply the four key themes to the basis of our approach to early learning and development:

• A Unique child
• Positive relationships
• Enabling environments and
• Learning and Development

We aim to:

• Maintain and keep providing high quality childcare with a happy atmosphere within a safe, secure and stimulating environment.
• Encourage the development of self-esteem and independence which will help children to make a natural transition to full-time schooling.
• Ensure each child is supported in developing their potential at their own pace by means of developmentally appropriate play activities
• Provide activities and experiences that are planned to meet their individual stages of development within the Early Years Foundation Stage.
• Always look at ways to improve and update the environment, layout, equipment and resources available within the Playgroup.

Forest School 

We offer a weekly Forest School, where we can focus on communication skills, team working, emotional coaching (resilience, emotional intelligence, self motivation and empathy) and curriculum based learning through physical activity. For example, the children take part in bushcraft activities, making bug hotels; outdoor art and gardening.  St Mary’s Forest School has a canopy, hammock, slack line, mud kitchen and a log circle, where the children can listen to stories and enjoy circle times. Children have access to free flow outdoor play in our large grassed garden. We provide a home from home environment with dedicated enthusiastic trained staff. We provide morning and afternoon healthy snacks and drinks which follow healthy eating guidelines.

Our aim is for our children to have fun!