OUR MISSION STATEMENT

 “The staff of West Winds Nursery Unit aim to provide, in partnership with parents, a safe, relaxed and caring environment wherein the social, emotional, physical and intellectual needs of the children will be met.

We will strive to ensure that each child will be actively involved in learning through creative and imaginative play and that, whilst recognising their differing needs, all children will be encouraged to achieve their full potential.”

OUR HISTORY AND FACILITIES

Our Nursery Unit was established in 1999 when two existing classrooms were converted into a playroom, story room, toilets, staff office, kitchen and cloakroom area.

The result is very spacious accommodation (coupled with a pleasant outside play area) which provides a suitable environment for the range of activities which benefit pre-school children.

As we are an integral part of the Primary School we are afforded the benefits of access to all the Primary School facilities such as the well equipped ICT Suite and large well appointed all weather pitch.

We operate a full-time Nursery session, which accommodates 26 children who attend the Nursery 5 days per week.

THE NURSERY CURRICULUM

The staff at West Winds Nursery Unit recognise the importance of providing a relaxed, friendly atmosphere which is conducive to learning. To ensure a wide range of activities and to allow the children to progress as they mature, a great deal of thought goes into planning the curriculum throughout the year.

Exciting topics are planned for the children each month alongside activities that will help to extend and strengthen children’s understanding and knowledge. Individual and group interests are also acknowledged and explored. Appropriate learning experiences are planned for each season throughout the calendar year.

We aim to meet the needs of each child by planning appropriately challenging activities and experiences to encourage development in each of the following areas of the pre-school curriculum:

• – The Arts
• – Language Development
• – Early Mathematical Experiences
• – Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• – Physical Development and Movement
• – The World Around Us

THE WEST WINDS NURSERY EXPERIENCE

Learning Through Play at West Winds Nursery Unit  

Play is the principal means of learning for young children. We aim to ensure that each child is actively involved in their learning, with adults providing appropriate support and stimuli. Our play activities fall into the following categories:

• Imaginative (House corner, hospital, dressing-up, small world etc)
• Creative Activities (Arts and Crafts, Music, Drama, Role-Play)
• Physical Play (Outdoor Play e.g. Climbing, balancing, wheeled toys, Indoor Play e.g. Assembly Hall)
• Construction Materials (Large and small blocks, Lego, Sticklebricks, Mobilo etc.)
• Table-top Toys (Jigsaws, matching, sorting, threading etc.)
• Quiet Room Activities (Books, stories, music, rhymes, Circle Time etc.)
• Natural and Malleable Materials (Sand, water, dough, clay etc.)

An Integral Part of the School Community: West Winds Nursery Unit and West Winds Primary School

 West Winds Nursery children and their families are welcomed and included in the life of the main Primary School. Our children take part in a variety of Primary School events throughout the year and we also hold our own very special events such as our own Nativity performance and our very important Graduation Ceremony.