Birth to 3 Years
The Birth to Three room requests that parents and carers send in a piece of fruit daily to be eaten at mid-morning fruit time. Birth to Three practitioners recognise that babies and toddlers routines vary, regarding milk feeds, weaning, sleep patterns, and strive to follow them and promote a home from home environment.
Foundation Stage
The Foundation Stage room incorporates a ‘fruit bar’ where two of the children are chosen daily to serve their peers, therefore promoting social and emotional development as well as communication skills. Milk and water are also offered at this time of the day, a water jug and cups are available throughout the day but we do also ask that children bring in their own named water bottles.
Chartwells supply school meals on the Island. They provide a variety of delicious, balanced meals.
As you are all aware, the cost of fuel, National Minimum Wage and food has all increased recently. With this in mind, we are advising you that the cost of a school meal will increase from £2.80 to £2.97 with effect from September 2024.
Everyday there is an option of a hot meal, vegetarian, jacket potato with choice of filling, tomato pasta or baguette (only Tuesdays and Thursdays) along with a pudding.
Water, salad, freshly baked bread, yoghurt & fresh fruit are available every day.
Important
Both rooms request that children attending our setting have their own named water bottle. Packed lunches can be brought to the setting as can home cooked meals/meals to be reheated in the facilities provided. School dinners are also available and Chartwells supply a menu which works on a three week turnaround.
All practitioners hold a current Food and Hygiene Certificate. The kitchen in the setting has been awarded 5/5 stars by Environmental Health department of the Isle of Wight Council. One of our practitioners regularly attends the school’s ‘Change for Life’ group to provide positive links between the two and share ideas regarding healthy eating and lifestyles which recently produced handouts for parents that included ideas for a healthy packed lunch, winter warmer recipes, ideas for incorporating vegetables into meals and a booklet on Chinese New Year recipes. The group recognises the importance of children’s self image and well being as well as diet and exercise.
Physical Development
The Foundation Stage room has opportunity to use the school hall during the week promoting physical development through parachute games, use of equipment benches and mats. Both rooms promote physical development daily, inside and out, some examples of resources to support this area of learning are soft play shapes, ride ons, scooters and trikes, bats and balls.
Whatever the Weather
Little Explorers request that parents and carers provide their child/children with appropriate clothing for the season, as outdoor play ‘whatever the weather’ is a daily occurrence. Children naturally have the instinct to explore their environments so wellies, older clothes, spare clothing can help to make the experience more fulfilling.
During the warmer months we ask that sun cream is applied before arrival at the setting and named sunhats are provided, practitioners will re-apply cream to the very young or those that need assistance but promote independence where possible.