Teaching and learning at Willow Cottage – The Power of Play

Our pedagogy (teaching) reflects the intrinsic desire in children to explore and learn from birth. This desire is captured and driven through their play and can lead to deep level learning. Therefore, at Willow Cottage we recognise the importance of providing a nursery environment that enables children’s play to flourish.

How do we do this?

We recognise that in order to play, children need to feel at ease and confident, able to relax and become absorbed. For each child this begins with a key person and stable team of caring adults to provide a secure emotional foundation in the setting, supporting their well-being and encouraging them to explore, believe in themselves and grow in independence.

Our playrooms provide accessible resources (continuous provision), child friendly furniture that encourage children to gain skills and confidence, whilst still having the familiarity of feeling like a home setting. Through careful observation of the children’s play, our practitioners reflect on the play spaces adapting them and setting them up to match current interests, provide challenge, spark the imagination and provoke enquiry, both in the rooms and in our wonderful outdoor spaces.

We believe that all children are capable, imaginative and inspired learners, with their own motivations, learning styles and pace. Our team recognise that every interaction is powerful and an opportunity to learn. Threaded throughout each day will be opportunities for children to engage in play with the adult team, independently alone, or socially with their peers, as well as joining in with adult led sessions such as music/song times, cooking or story times. Within the day and during the play our team will listen, watch, describe, model, question, explain, challenge, encourage, praise and all above all have fun!