Welcome to Little Squirrels nursery 🐿️

Where our youngest learners begin their Redgate journey 

A very warm welcome to Little Squirrels Nursery at Redgate Community Primary School.

At Little Squirrels, we want every child's first experience of education to be a happy one. We provide a warm, nurturing and inclusive environment where children feel safe, valued and excited to come through the door each day.

We know that choosing a nursery is a big decision. You want somewhere your child will be known, cared for and understood, somewhere they can make friends, grow in confidence, develop their independence, learn and, most importantly, be happy.

That's what we want for every Little Squirrel.

🐿️A Place to Play, Explore, learn and Grow

Childhood is precious and we believe our youngest children should have plenty of time to play, explore, wonder, investigate, create and have fun.

Our days are filled with stories, songs, messy play, outdoor adventures, conversations, creativity, friendships and those wonderful little moments when a child discovers that they can do something for themselves.

Behind all that fun is a highly skilled team who understand how young children learn and develop. We get to know each child as an individual and use their interests, strengths and next steps to help them flourish.

Relationships Come First🐿️

Children learn best when they feel safe, secure and cared for, which is why relationships are at the heart of Little Squirrels.

Our experienced team takes time to really get to know your child, what makes them laugh, what interests them, what they might need help with and what helps them feel safe and settled.

We celebrate every child's individuality and recognise that children develop in different ways and at different rates.

🐿️Every Child Belongs

Inclusion is simply part of who we are at Redgate.

We want children to grow up knowing that everyone is different, everyone has something to offer and everyone belongs.

Our staff are experienced in supporting a wide range of needs and work closely with families and other professionals when children may need something additional or different to help them thrive.

Being part of the wider Redgate family also means our youngest children grow and learn within a school community that celebrates and values difference.

Working Together With Families🐿️

Nobody knows your child quite like you do.

That's why we see parents and carers as an essential part of the Little Squirrels team. From those first settling-in sessions onwards, we want to build an open and trusting relationship with you.

We'll share the celebrations, talk through any worries and work together to make sure your child gets the very best possible start.

🐿️Proud to Be Part of Team Redgate

From their very first day, our Little Squirrels are part of the Redgate family and begin to experience the values that run throughout our school:

We Learn
We Collaborate
We Nurture
We Grow
We Are Safe

We are incredibly proud that Redgate's Early Years team was recognised nationally when we received the Pearson National Teaching Awards GOLD Award for Early Years Team of the Year in 2022.

Our commitment to excellent Early Years practice has continued beyond receiving the award. Following Redgate's success, our Deputy Headteacher now works alongside the Teaching Awards and is a judge for the Early Years Team of the Year Award, helping to recognise and celebrate outstanding Early Years practice in settings across the country.

We are immensely proud of this recognition, but what matters most to us is what happens here every day: children coming through our doors happy, forming strong relationships, developing their independence, discovering new interests and growing in confidence.

Come and See Us in action!

The best way to discover Little Squirrels is to come and experience it for yourself.

Come and meet our team, explore our nursery and see what makes Little Squirrels such a special place to begin your child's Redgate journey.

We can't wait to welcome you. 🐿️

To see our class in action, search #redgateprimarynursery or #redgateprimarylittlesquirrels on our Redgate Instagram page.

🐿️Our Curriculum - look how we learn!

Learning, playing and growing together🐿️

At Little Squirrels, we want children to be happy, confident, curious and excited to learn.

Our curriculum is rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and supported by Birth to 5 Matters. It reflects our belief that every child is unique and develops in their own way and at their own pace.

🐿️Our ‘We Are…’ Curriculum

At the heart of Little Squirrels is our ‘We Are…’ curriculum. We think not only about what we want children to learn, but also about the confident, curious learners we want them to become.

Throughout their time with us, our children learn that:

We are explorers, active learners and creative thinkers.
We are communicators and linguists.
We are friends, confident and empathetic.
We are active and healthy.
We are developing a lifelong love of reading and writing.

Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on the Characteristics of Effective Learning – encouraging children to explore, have a go, keep trying, develop their own ideas and solve problems.

Learning Through Play🐿️

Play is at the heart of everything we do.

Children have lots of time to explore our carefully planned indoor and outdoor environments. Our adults play alongside children, introduce new language and ideas, extend their thinking and know when to step back and allow children to discover things for themselves.

Our curriculum is enriched by high-quality books, stories, rhymes, real-life experiences, visits and celebrations, helping children make connections and discover more about themselves and the world around them.

🐿️Communication and a Love of Reading

Communication and language run through everything we do. Children are surrounded by talk, stories, songs, rhymes and rich vocabulary, with skilled adults helping them become confident communicators.

We want every Little Squirrel to develop a genuine love of books and reading. For our preschool children, we also use Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics – Tuning into Sounds, alongside Rhyme Time, to develop the listening and sound-awareness skills that prepare them for their phonics journey in Reception.

Knowing Every Child🐿️

Our starting point is always the individual child. We get to know their interests, strengths, experiences, communication and next steps, working closely with families to support their development.

We want children to leave Little Squirrels ready for their next adventure – increasingly independent, confident, resilient and able to communicate, make friends, solve problems, have their own ideas and keep trying when something is difficult.

What a typical day in Little Squirrels looks like🐿️

Every day in Little Squirrels is filled with play, exploration, stories, songs, movement and lots of opportunities to play and learn together.

A Warm Welcome

Our day begins with open-door provision, giving children time to arrive, settle, have breakfast and choose where they would like to play. We know that a calm, happy start makes a big difference to the rest of the day.

Time to Learn and Explore

Children then come together in age-appropriate groups for short, playful learning experiences. Depending on their age, this might include Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle, drawing and writing, nursery rhymes, Rhyme Time or Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics.

A large part of our day is spent in continuous provision, where children can freely explore and play within our indoor and outdoor learning environments. Adults join children in their play, helping to develop their language, thinking, independence and confidence.

Lunchtime and Learning Together

Lunchtime is another important part of our day which we all love. As well as enjoying lunch together, children develop their independence, communication and social skills.

In the afternoon, our preschool children enjoy a short Maths session, while our younger children develop their early number skills through rhymes and counting songs. This is followed by another extended period of play and exploration.

Ending Our Day With a Story

Before home time, we come together again to share a story.

No two days in Little Squirrels are exactly the same – and that's just how we like it! 🐿️

Session times 🐿️

Our session times are as follows for all children from 2 years of age;

9am - 3pm

9am - 12pm

12pm - 3pm

Please contact the office 01704 828140 for session availability.

funded childcare for working families 🐿️

You may be entitled to free childcare to help with the cost of your child's Nursery place.

Free Childcare for Working Parents🐿️

Eligible working families in England can receive up to 30 hours of free childcare per week for children aged 9 months to 4 years old.

This means that eligible families may be able to use their funded childcare hours towards their child's place at Little Squirrels.

Am I Eligible?

Eligibility depends on your family's circumstances, including whether you and your partner (if you have one) are working and how much you earn.

The easiest way to find out is to check directly on the Government website.

👉Check if you're eligible for Free Childcare for Working Parents

How Do I Apply?

You can apply online through GOV.UK. If your application is successful, you will receive an 11-digit childcare code.

Simply give this code to us so that we can confirm your funded place.

Don't forget: you need to sign in to your childcare account every 3 months to reconfirm your details and continue receiving your funded hours.

Need Some Help?

We know childcare funding can sometimes feel a little confusing! If you're unsure about your funded hours or how they can be used at Little Squirrels, please speak to a member of our team and we'll be happy to help.

2 year old funded childcare🐿️

Some 2-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare each week for 38 weeks of the year through the Early Learning for 2-year-olds scheme.🐿️

Could My Child Be Eligible?🐿️

Your child may qualify if your family receives certain benefits or if your child:

• has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

• receives Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

• is looked after by the local authority

• has left care through adoption, a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangements Order.

Some families receiving Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits may also be eligible.

👉 Check the full eligibility criteria for 2-year-old funding

When is my child funded from?🐿️

If eligible, funded hours usually begin the term after your child's second birthday:

Birthday September–December → Funding from January
Birthday January–March → Funding from April
Birthday April–August → Funding from September.

How Do I Apply?🐿️

You apply through your local council's Early Years team or Family Information Service.

👉 Find your local council

Not Sure What You're Entitled To?🐿️

The Government's childcare calculator can help you check what support may be available to your family.

👉 Check what help you could get with childcare costs

Still unsure? Please speak to the Little Squirrels team and we'll be happy to help point you in the right direction. 🐿️

Uniform🐿️

At Little Squirrels, our uniform is comfortable, practical and perfect for busy little learners🐿️

We encourage children to wear:

• Navy jogging bottoms

• Red polo shirt

• Navy sweatshirt

• Black or navy trainers

Our children spend their days playing, moving, creating, exploring and getting messy, so we recommend practical clothing that allows them to join in with everything Nursery has to offer.

Outdoor Clothing is Essential 🌦️

We are incredibly lucky at Little Squirrels to have a huge outdoor learning environment, which children have free access to throughout the day, in all weathers.

Outdoor learning is a big part of life in Little Squirrels. Children might be exploring water and mud, digging, building, climbing, creating or investigating the natural world – and we don't let a bit of British weather stop us!

For this reason, every child should have:

🌧️ A waterproof suit/wetsuit
🥾 Wellington boots
🧥 A warm, waterproof coat
☀️ A sun hat during warmer weather

Wellies and waterproofs are an essential part of our everyday Nursery kit – not just for rainy days. Having the right clothing means children can freely choose to learn and play outdoors without the weather limiting their experiences.

We also recommend keeping a named spare set of clothes in Nursery for those particularly enthusiastic days of exploring!

Please Name Everything! 🐿️

With lots of little jumpers, coats, wellies and waterproofs around, things can easily get mixed up. Please make sure all clothing, footwear and belongings are clearly labelled with your child's name.

That helps us reunite every Little Squirrel with their belongings at the end of a busy day! 🐿️

Our School Values

Important information

Little wandle phonics support

In our Nursery class we use Little Wandle Foundation for Phonics Scheme to support early reading and language development. For useful tips on how to support your child's phonis at home, please visit the Parent Section on the Little Wandle Website (https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/whats-included/support-for-parents/)

maths support