Pack Away Pre-School Inspiration

After my conference work in Medway I was off to Hertfordshire to do some project work with the LA EYFS team. This is another interesting project for me, as it is not only diverse in the type of setting I am working with, each one has been identified by the LA as having lots of elements of very strong and unique practice.

All of them regularly get visits from other settings interested in sharing their practice. My role is to work with them on an area that they have identified for further improvement and see how we can enhance it even further.

Each setting has been given a video camera and have to record their journey - a bit like Blair Witch meets Big Brother!

So, at the end of last week I made my first visit to two of them. First to have the pleasure of my company was Little 1's Nursery (more info here). They operate a unique and very successful system of grouping their children which involves mixed ages and family groups together. I have asked Amey from Little 1's to write me a guest blog post explaining their pedagogy and successes so look out for that one.

On Friday I visited Noah's Ark pack away pre-school. When I visit pack aways I often find myself thinking 'why would you?'  At Noah's they literally have to get everything out at the beginning of the session and then pack everything away at the end. If that wasn't bad enough they are not allowed to put anything on the walls in any way, shape or form and they have to buff (yes, buff) the floor after every session!

Helen and the ladies at Noah's are not daunted by this fact though, they manage to provide a whopping 15 areas indoors and child led outdoor provision.

I though that was impressive enough but what was REALLY impressive was the level of independence that all of the children had in all of the areas. These are children who are 2 and 3 years old, many of them with English as an additional language and yet they managed brilliantly well.

Here are a few examples of what I saw (there were lots)!

The setting has a breakfast table which the children self manage (no adults). They serve their own breakfast cereal, spread their own toast AND when they have finished...clear away, wash their dishes, dry their dishes and put them away. All of them - even the 2 year old boys!

I soon realised that the reason that you could have 15 areas all running at once and not be looking at a train wreck was because the children were highly engaged and able to self manage on a really high level.

Noah's children do a lot of self selection and creation. Their painting area is set up like this

Powder paint in sugar dispensers, ready mix in tea light holders and water in a pump dispenser.

It makes selecting and mixing paint very simple.

 

 

 

Lots and lots of variety for the children to select from enabling them to explore texture and demonstrate that they and can apply process, not just produce a pre-defined end result - even if they have their own unique way of using their peg!

When you are teaching children any sort of skills or processes then you need to expect some minor disasters, indeed you hope they will come along as they often provide you with the best opportunities to make a teaching point. So when one of the boys dropped a bowl of powder paint all over the floor - what did he do? Cleaned it up of course - by himself. He even recycled the spilled paint!

Some great work was created - such a shame they have nowhere to display it!

It really was an inspiring visit that did make me wonder how much we 'de-skill' our children by having limited expectations of their capabilities and doing too much for them rather than showing them then creating an environment that allows them to fly.

There will be more from Noah's coming soon - I haven't even told you about the brain surgery table!!

Alistair

Comments

[Natalie]

Wow how inspirational and shows if you have high expectations of xhildren they will rise to the challenge. Can't wait to hear more

[Anne Holt]

Have just taken delivery of 6 unbreakable 'sugar measurers'( thank goodness for ebay) and used tham for the first time today. ABSOLUTLY BRILLIANT!!!!.We still use water in a paint pot and a paint pallet but it worked so well. A big thank you.
Anne from Sheffield

[Nursery School In Chennai]

Good post and useful information.Thanks for sharing the Post.