AnonyMouse_4145 Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Hi I am currently applying for nursery teacher positions, I have taught ks1 and reception for 4 years, but have no nursery experience. Can anyone give me any tips on how their nursery daily routines run, i have a rough idea, but as i have no solid nursery experience, would welcome anyones thoughts... Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Hi Ruth Just wanted to welcome you to the forum. I am sure somebody will be able to answer your questions soon. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Welcome Ruth! We're a private, sessional pre-school. Briefly, our session looks like this:- Registration Free play Jolly phonics (whole group split into two according to age) Snacktime Circle time* Physical time* Going home * Circle and physical times run at the same time, with the whole group being split into two groups with a mix of ages. Each session lasts 10-15 minutes, with a swap over at half time. Not sure if this will help, but it suits us!! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4145 Posted May 5, 2005 Author Share Posted May 5, 2005 Thank you, and thank you Linda..... I am expecting a nursery classroom to be arranged along the same lines as a reception class, in that all areas of curriculum will be available for independent learning, with 1 or 2 focussed activities each day... my reception class come in and have the register first thing in the morning which some of the less mature ones find hard to cope with, nurseries usually go straight to activities, is that about right? how do you handle registration, i was thinking along the lines of a board or washing line that each child has to put their name / photo on as they come in.... is that a fair assumption? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 We do a self-registration where children take their name magnet from the 'out' side of the board and put it on the 'in' side of the board. Their magnet has their full name on it, along with a picture of something which begins with the same letter sound eg Charlotte has a chef etc. Our children are aged from 2 1/2. Then we do a more formal registration time when we talk about the topic/letter sounds of the week etc, before going on to free play. Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4177 Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Hi Ruth, School nursery, children may attend mornings only or full time. A.M I have activities out for children as they come into Nursery. (children self register by selecting drink, using name card- this time of the year sign themselves in) followed by Registration/Group time -children split into two groups, different focus different days number/phonic/focus on area such as water/construction, story to introduce ideas, using big book, etc. Children at activities inside and outside, small group work, snack time, (though we are introducing running snack bar gradually this half term). PE, music with school music specialist, school library session, Assembly Circle time, percussion,acting out a story on different days. Story at end of session Pm Opportunity to revisit morning activities or we add resources to morning provision (or abandon and change altogether). Use role play and small world/construction a lot in afternoons as children are very tired. Barb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4145 Posted May 5, 2005 Author Share Posted May 5, 2005 thanks barb, those ideas are really useful how many adults do you have in your setting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_468 Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Hi Ruth and welcome! I am a Nursery teacher within a large primary school. My children still have a registration time at the beginning of each session. The parents are encouraged to bring their child to the carpet area. One member of staff takes the register, while the other two (I have 2 Nursery Nurses) are free to settle any children that need it or speak with parents. We use the registration time for important teaching opportunities such as counting how many children are in today, how many are away, what the date is, the weather, important events happening during the session, etc. We then are able to introduce the activities on offer and make suggestions for what they could do at each activity. The children are really focused at their best when they first arrive and enjoy the routine. The whole carpet session lasts about 10 minutes. After that they have just over an hour of child-initiated play, although there is usually one or two planned focus activities or observations, run by 2 of the members of staff. The third member "floats" and interacts or joins in with play. All children help to tidy and clear the tables. We then have another short carpet time where we either sing songs, play a game, discuss our topic, or, twice a week divide into ability groups for phonics or number work (I have 3 year olds through to rising 5's). We also share "Benjie's Diary" (our toy rabbit who goes home with a different child each day). We then have small group milk and snack times and while this is happening we share our news, and have a general chit-chat within our keyworker groups. We follow this with outdoor play (we are unable to have continual access to outside as it is shared with other classes and access is not directly from the Nursery). We finish off with either whole class story or keyworker group story time. The whole two and a half hours flies by but this routine works for us. We have tried other routines but always come back doing it this way. Good luck with the job hunting! I think Nursery is the best place to be! Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4145 Posted May 5, 2005 Author Share Posted May 5, 2005 Thanks Jackie, nursery is certainly where i think I want to be so heres hoping!!!!! When you say key worker, do you mean that each of you has a set of children to focus on that stays the same, or something different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_468 Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 There are three members of staff - myself (teacher) and two excellent NNs. We are each responsible for a colour group - red, yellow or blue. When the children start Nursery they are allocated randomly to one of these groups. The groups are mixed age and ability. The staff are responsible for keeping the records for their group and tend to deal with the parents of their group at parent consultations, etc. Each member of staff sits with their group at snack time and story time. There are 10 children in each group. It helps to have them in groups for other things as well, eg "red group can go and get their coats on now" or "it's blue group's turn to plant their sunflower seeds today". During the main session all 3 groups mingle together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Dear All, It's really good to see that the routines that we all set whether it is reception/nursery are moreoreless the same. I often hear that teachers get a little fed up with children who are not able to sit down for register, group story time etc. and seem to suggest that it is the fault of their previous settings. I try and get them all to sit down together for short periods at three times during the day - sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Self register happens at 9.30 when they arrive and we do group register at 10.00. We have several parents who continually arrive late and therefore it becomes disruptive to do it immediately if children keep coming in and the children who arrive on time get a bit restless if some do not arrive until 9.45. I do try and instill in the parents the importance of arriving on time but it falls on deaf ears. Nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 Hi Ruth welcome to the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LucyQ Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 I believe in giving children of this age as much freeplay as possible. With quality activities, equipment and a well planned room layout they don't need much imput from grownups. Our routine is as follows: 9:15 session start 9:30 registration followed by a chat about whats going on, show and tell etc 9:50ish freeplay 11:30 circletime, stories, singing etc for younger ones (rising 5 activity for rising 5's) 11:45 lunch time 12:45 second session official starts ie freeplay (no registration as the children are too engrossed in what their doing) 14:45 circletime for all - singing, stories, group games, getting coats on 15:15 home time Snack is cafe style throughout the sessions. Freeplay may include some adult lead activity. Works well for us and our layout/ ratios etc. Hali - I'm not too concerned with what the school want the children to do, obviously I want it to be easy for the children but we don't ask our parents to get their children to sit still before they come to us, we work on it when they come to us. I think the schools should learn a few things from us and give our little ones some more freedom to choose for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 pardon??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LucyQ Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 Sorry Hali - it was a comment from Nikki about reception teachers getting feed up with new intakes not sitting for registration when asked. Must have looked at the wrong line - funny as I haven't even had a drink yet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 oh thats ok... good idea about the drink!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2005 Share Posted May 7, 2005 I agree LucyQ - but I do think its good sometimes for them to understand the boundaries and for them to sit for short periods of time as a group as I think is good for them - besides I can then tick it off my Profile!!! Nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 12, 2005 Share Posted June 12, 2005 This is really interesting as we are trying to rearrange our routine. We felt that our children were being expected to sit still for too long and as we have some children of 2 years 9 months we wanted to reassess it. We have also had comments from school about the inability to sit still and strangely we thought teh same as Lucy (was it you? Sorry if not!) They come to us never having to sit for a whole story/song etc at home if htey don't want to and then we expect them to with us. As a mum I wouldn't force my children to finish a story with me... BUT we work at it and make the sitting time as interesting as possible for them. One comment by a staff member here was that the teachers may find they can't sit for long but she didn't see them when they first came to us!! Perhaps if they visit us in September they might appreciate what we do eh?! ANYWAY! Looking at these routines, they are very similar to ours! 9.00 children arrive at preschool, parents bring them to the carpet area for register. We also do the date, weather and count the children etc. Then one or two share their news. One child then sends the others one by one to get their name cards. This started to see whether one particular child knew any of the other children's names and has stuck! Once they have brought their name cards over they can play. 9.15ish - 10.30 is free play. Activities are planned and staff have set roles for each one (so water play may be focussing on floating) One staff member has a target activity to set up/observe as necessary. If it's dry, the children can go outside. According to how many staff this is free choice. If only 2 staff in we tidy up early and all go out. 10.30 tidy up time then a whole group story. After this, the children are split into 2 groups. One goes off to wash their hands and have snack time and the other stays for a group activity. This is chosen by the staff member doing it but should be related to a particular area (usually one area set for whole week) The groups then swap. According to the time, they either rush to get all their bits together to go home at 11.30 or they have time to come back, show or talk about the group activity nad sing songs.... it really varies! Phew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted June 12, 2005 Share Posted June 12, 2005 did mine like this.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted June 12, 2005 Share Posted June 12, 2005 ok where's the edit button gone?? Should have added 1 teacher 2 nursery nurses and 39 full time children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Hi this is my first posting so be gentle with me! Can anyone suggest a GOOD place to buy Birthday charts and stickers for my Pre-schools? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_73 Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 I cant answer your question goose, but hi there ansd welcome on board. We are very gentle, so please make your self at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4145 Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 Hi I buy stickers and charts from primary teaching, www.primaryteaching.co.uk, also the sticker factory, not sure of their url but searching in google should find it, also from brainwaves, primary teaching is the best one i've found, lots of scratch and sniff stickers which the kids love!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 We get ours from the sticker factory usually have some good deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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