Our Sessions

Morning sessions begin at 9.15 pm and finish at 12.30 pm, Monday to Friday.  Afternoon sessions are from 1.15 pm to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday.  Children are able to stay and have a packed lunch.  Lunch time sessions run from 12.30 pm to 1.15 pm.  Children may stay for lunch following a morning session, arrive at lunch time prior to an afternoon session or stay for the whole day from 9.15 am until 4.30 pm.  We also run a Breakfast Club from 8.15 am until 9.15 am and an After School Club from 4.30 pm until 5.30 pm.

When the doors are opened at the beginning of each session, the children go to the cloakroom and find their name on the board, a teacher will help them if necessary.  They then find a peg and hang up their coats.  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.  The groups all have a colour name and 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 assist the children in their preparation for reading.  We use a variety of reading schemes including Montessori.  Number books and mathematic 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 and also access other helpful information.

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: -

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development

The specific areas are: -

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Art and Design

We have a wide variety of educational and play equipment both inside and out.  Activities are rotated on a regular basis according to our topic for the week.  The pavilion has a wonderful green outlook with an enclosed and covered area equipped with soft safety surfacing, perfect for outdoor play in all weathers.  We also have use of a small enclosed area by the tennis courts.

During the session the ‘snack table’ will be set up.  Snack includes a variety of fruit and vegetables, a dip and a carbohydrate. The children are encouraged to wash their hands and find their name from the board.  They help themselves to their snack and pour their own drink.  When they have finished, they are then encouraged to tidy away and wash their own cup and plate.  

At the end of each session, children take part in a group activity such as music and movement, simple scientific studies in physics, biology, nature studies, and terminology cards, discussions on various topics and games indoors and out.  Weekly lesson plans are displayed on a board for the parents to see and made available on our parents Facebook and WhatsApp groups.

Finally, there is another circle time.  This is an ideal time for stories and songs.  The children are encouraged to put their own coats on and are called up one at a time to shake hands with the teacher and say goodbye when their parent/carer arrives.