A not-for-profit nursery in Whitton, Twickenham

Our Approach

Our Mission Statement

Our aim is to offer a stimulating and caring environment where individuals can learn through play and experiences in an atmosphere where respect for oneself, each other and the surroundings is nurtured.

All-round care for your child means to us:

Care and education go hand in hand at Squirrels. The children are cared for in small key groups by NNEB/NVQ3 qualified staff. Staffing ratios, as set by Ofsted, of 1:4 for two-year olds and 1:8 for three and four year olds are maintained at all times.

Our key person system enables each child to be viewed as an individual who can be encouraged to develop new skills at his/her own pace. It enables each child to build a relationship with their key person and also ensures that parents know whom to approach about their child. Our curriculum is based around ‘The Early Years Foundation Stage’ laid down by the DfES. We use core books and children’s interests to provide focus and activities are chosen to cover the three prime areas:

Personal, social & emotional development
Communication and language
Physical development

and the four specific areas:

Literacy
Mathematics
Expressive arts and design
Understanding of the world

Further information on the Statutory Framework for the EYFS including a parent’s guide and characteristics of effective learning can be found at www.foundationyears.org.uk/early-years-foundation-stage-2012.

We include outings and visits to complement the activities. We also offer extra-curricular activities such as children’s yoga and language sessions. Detailed records are kept on each child’s achievements which is located in the classroom in the form of a Learning Journey.

Each term, parents meet with staff to discuss their child’s progress, in order to develop the child’s learning needs at home and within the nursery. Parental contribution is an essential element of this process. We also collaborate with health visitors for our two-year-old children regarding their health checks. Children's transition records are also forwarded to the child’s school when they leave nursery.