Kindergarten 3-6

Kindergarten 3-6

Afternoon Care | Forest School | Scenes from Kindergarten

In our caring, nurturing Kindergarten children are given the freedom to enjoy childhood. They learn through play, exploration and the world around them, discovering and developing without pressure, as their intellectual capacities naturally awaken. It’s a gentle introduction to school and the wider world.

Warmth and security comes from the family atmosphere, small class sizes (of just 16) and home-like environment. Beautiful surroundings nourish your child’s developing senses - soft pastel fabrics, vivid water colours, the touch of beeswax, the smell of crushed lavender.

Imagination and Creativity are nurtured through free play with simple natural materials. In a child’s world of play a wooden bench and clothes horse become a rocket, plaited wool ropes are mermaid’s hair.

Confidence and social skills thrive in our mixed age setting. Children learn to play together - the older ones taking care of the younger ones, who look up to and learn from them. Empathy, co-operation, and self-reliance develop - all vital building blocks for future learning and life.

Reassuring daily and weekly rhythms are the foundation for imitation and learning. The children see the teachers busy at craft and simple domestic jobs (washing wool, painting and drawing, baking and chopping, sweeping the floor) and join in, watch or play. This freedom to engage deeply in learning and play is a wonderful gift. It focuses concentration and fosters a creative, inquiring mind that stays with your child for a lifetime.

The natural world and outdoor play are a key part of Kindergarten life. The children play outside whatever the weather. Well wrapped up against the cold and wet, we walk and explore the local field. Outside there’s space to run and skip, play in sand and mud, ride in a wheel-barrow, and listen to stories. Our older children enjoy a wonderful Forest School experience one full day a week at a stunning natural woodland site.

Activities reflect the changing seasons. Children grind wheat and bake bread at harvest time, and celebrate a diversity of festivals throughout the year. Traditional songs, rhymes, and stories come from the cultures and faiths of our Kindergarten children. Your child will develop a treasure trove of stories and verses, along with a natural love of language.

Playing, singing, dancing, exploring, making, baking and stories - this is your child’s experience of Kindergarten. Underpinning it all, the Kindergarten Teacher is expertly supporting their developmental needs, gently guiding and encouraging them as understanding and enquiry grow. By following their interests, and learning at their own pace, your child acquires the social, physical and intellectual skills to move on well-equipped for mainstream or Steiner education.