Nest Classes are held Mon-Fri 9 am. All the classes are Optional, they are £8/each or £40/week. The fees cover the cost of peripatetic staff, rm hire, and equipment.
French
Jane Howard
All the children are taught elementary French on Mondays. The children are divided into two groups, those who have been with us for one year and the beginners. Jane only speaks to the children in French and employs a mixture of action songs, picture cards, repetition and fun guessing games, to prompt them and teach them the fundamentals. The children are keen to learn and love the challenge as at this age they have a natural aptitude for learning new languages.
Forest School
Joy and Angela
Joy and Angela have been trained with Leap for Forest school besides being qualified Early Years Practitioners. The sessions are delivered weekly to incorporate different seasons. Through Forest school, children learn to appreciate the outdoors and the natural environment whilst gaining confidence and social skills. The natural environment tends to fascinate the children and they develop a keenness to participate and explore what is available around them. Children build dens, light and cook on fires and gain an insight into the names and knowledge of the natural world.
Cooking
Juliet & Linda
We love to cook at the Nest, and through the year all the children get to cook a wide variety of dishes, often linked into the curriculum or current topic. We make bread, butter, sandwiches, pizza, salads, cakes, vegetable and fish fritters, soup, smoothes, juices-elderflower cordial and lots of other seasonal dishes. The children learn to recognize and name all the ingredients, and where they are sourced. We use the vegetables and fruit we’ve grown ourselves.
Computers
Trevor Christie
On Thursdays, Trevor comes in with 4 laptops, and a wide variety of educational games designed specifically for this age group. Children work in pairs, learning from each other and are guided skilfully between the games and menus, working at their own pace. As their confidence builds together they learn to navigate and solve problems, select and move between different interactive programs that can stimulate and educate. Dr Suez is a favourite, Pap Pap Zoo, and Lets make a Movie.
Drama & Music
Linda, Sarah and Juliet
On Fridays we hire the large Lower Ground Hall for Drama & Music. Here the children get the chance to run around and let off some steam, dancing and acting out scenarios that are taken from stories their exploring. It’s a chance to improvise, gain confidence, work in a larger group or team and develop a different set of listening skills. Songs and drumming practice take place and we also use the opportunity to develop other motor skills, using our gym equipment, bats and balls and parachute games.
Yoga
Angela Miniscalco
At the Nest we apply yoga and mindfulness to our curriculum. Angela has been trained and has received certificates in these two disciplines. Mindfulness and yoga help and teach children with managing anxiety,improving their emotional attitude, boosting their self esteem, balance and flexibility. They bring their awareness to their body and how it works. Last but not least, these two disciplines enhance children’s’ concentration and memory.
Ceramics
Sarah Williams
Sarah apart from being a brilliant teacher is a very skilled ceramist. The children do two ceramic projects a term, they get to play with the clay and explore a variety of techniques, from pinch potting, slab work, coiling and mark-making, and applying glazes. Their work is very much their own, and they have made some fabulous frogs, leaves, cress pots, Christmas candlesticks, the list goes on.