Morning sessions begin at 9.15am and finish at 12.30pm, Monday to Friday term time.
Afternoon sessions are from 1.15pm to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday term time. Children are also able to stay for the whole day from 9.15am till 4.30pm.
Children can stay for lunch following a morning session or have lunch prior to an afternoon session.
Breakfast Club is open every morning from 8.15 am to 9.15 am.
Whilst waiting outside the children are encouraged to find their names on the board. When the doors are opened at the beginning of each session, the children take their names to the cloakroom where a teacher will help them. if necessary, to find a peg and hang up their coat.
Any messages or information should be given to the teacher at the door or emailed directly to the pre-school.
The children will then be invited to sit in the circle where a teacher will be discussing the day's activities and taking the register. This is an ideal opportunity for the children to tell their news or share a favourite toy. The children also have an opportunity to tell the circle about their time with Bertie or Daisy bear. These are bears that go home with a suitcase and a diary, in turn to every child. This is a great way to help children express themselves and to settle into the pre-school.
Each child has his/her own group and each group has their own teacher. Children are in mixed age groups and usually stay with their teacher throughout their time at Kia Mena
Individual teaching is given according to each child's ability using the Montessori Method. Children are encouraged to select activities and take them to a table. When they finish working with their material they are then encouraged to tidy away. A sound and number book is sent home in the Children's book bag. Sounds are introduced using the Jolly Phonics reading scheme and Montessori sand paper letters. When a child knows all their phonic sounds, word boxes with three letter phonetic words will be sent home to encourage the children in their preparation for reading. We use a variety of reading schemes including Montessori and ladybird Peter and Jane. Number books and mathematics books are also sent home. The teacher will keep a careful record of each child's progress using a program called My Montessori Child and a report will be sent to your child's primary school. Parents are able to login to the program using their own unique password to monitor their child's progress.
The Early Years Foundation Stage goals are adhered to and the prime and specific areas of development are incorporated into the curriculum
The prime areas are:
The specific areas are:
The children have a wide range of play equipment. These include a sandpit; a water table; a little tykes log cabin; slides; a little tykes country kitchen and various kinds of tricycles, tractors and push-a-longs. The pavilion has a wonderful green outlook with an enclosed and covered area equipped with soft safety surfacing, perfect for outdoor play. We also have use of a small enclosed green area by the tennis courts.
During the session the 'snack bar' will be set up. A table will be set with cups and plates, milk and water and bowls of different fruit. The children are encouraged to help themselves to fruit and drink.
After this, a number of activities will be arranged depending on the day of the week e.g French on a Tuesday, music and movement on Fridays. Other topics will involve simple scientific studies in physics, biology, nature studies and terminology cards, discussions on various topics and games indoors and out. Lesson plans are displayed on the notice board for parents to see and are also available on this website and through My Montessori Child.
At the end of the session the children sit in a circle, an ideal time for stories and songs. The children are encouraged to put their own coats on and called up one by one to shake hands with the teacher and say goodbye. They are then handed to the parent or carer.
TERM DATES 2023/2024
AUTUMN TERM 2023 (16 Weeks)
OPENS – Tuesday, 29th August
CLOSES - Friday, 15th December
SPRING TERM 2024 (13 Weeks)
OPENS - Tuesday, 2nd January
CLOSES – Thursday, 28th March
SUMMER TERM 2024 (14 Weeks)
OPENS – Monday, 15th April
BANK HOLIDAYS – Monday, 6th May & Monday, 27th May
CLOSES – Friday, 19th July
TERM DATES 2024/2025
AUTUMN TERM 2024 (16 Weeks)
OPENS – Monday, 2nd September
CLOSES - Friday, 20th December
SPRING TERM 2025 (13 Weeks)
OPENS - Monday, 6th January
CLOSES – Friday, 4th April
SUMMER TERM 2025 (14 Weeks)
OPENS – Tuesday, 22nd April
BANK HOLIDAYS – Monday, 5th May & Monday, 26th May
CLOSES – Friday, 25th July