We are an established, professionally run Nursery with a ‘home from home’ feel. Our aim is to make your child feel loved, secure and "at home". Our nursery establishes the vital foundations of future learning through the wide range of experiences and resources offered, as for many this is their first separation period from their carers.

Mar Azul Nursery aims to provide the highest calibre of childcare through a personalised programme designed to meet the busy schedules of our parents. We try to make our Nursery an extension of your child’s home, offering the time, opportunities, stimulation and resources for your child to explore, create, imagine, and enquire under the watchful eye of our trained nursery team. The child’s safety and happiness is paramount, so we ensure that we have qualified, vetted staff who have had years of experience of working with children. A safe and secure building and constant supervision ensure the child’s safety.

The nursery children are kept busy with well planned short activities both in age groups and on a one to one basis. They learn through play, but most of all they have lots of fun while learning.

In very hot weather, we encourage the children to use our paddling pools and outdoor shaded play area so that they can keep cool. We have carpeted play surfaces, slides, climbing frames, tunnels, scooters, pedal cars and a sand pit with a roof for the children to enjoy. We have a climbing frame and slide built specifically for children of nursery age. For the safety of the children, this is sited on the carpet play surface.

The younger children can sleep in their prams or on our sleeping area while the older children play, developing the skills of co-ordination, balance and social interaction.

The nursery main entrance door is controlled by a key to ensure the premises

On a daily basis, our Nursery Manager is responsible for the running of the nursery with the support of two native Spanish staff and two native English staff. We have a dedicated team of qualified Early Years teachers and Nursery Nurses. This team works closely together to provide high quality education and care.

Each day is divided into a number of sessions, with the children in small groups depending on age and ability. The groups are brought together for group discussions and group singing, at lunchtimes, snack times and for story-time. The children have an opportunity to mix with different age groups, enabling them to develop their communication and social skills. Activities are done in both Spanish and English.

The Nursery offers children morning, afternoon and a limited number of full-time places, 50 weeks per year

HOW THEY LEARN AND DEVELOP THROUGH PLAY

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Physical development is encouraged as the children play on bikes, climbing frames and  through outdoor play. The child’s gross motor skills (large movements) are promoted and they develop skills such as running, walking, skipping, balancing and stretching.

They gain hand eye co-ordination by practising jigsaws, musical instruments, colouring, push buttons toys etc. Fine motor skills (small movements) are encouraged by using fine paintbrushes, pencils, chalks, shape sorters and play dough.

 The child’s physical well being is monitored during the day, for example

• Ample clothes for cold weathers and frequent change of nappies
• Outdoor play provides fresh air and sunlight, which naturally produces vitamin D, giving the child more energy which allows a more restful sleep.
• Potty training is another routine, which a lot of the children will go through at this age and the staff can assist with this in the nursery.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Considering the child’s age the nursery staff are sympathetic to the child’s emotional needs. This is an age where most children are apart from their parents for the first time. The nursery staff enable the child to be distracted from their anxieties of leaving mum or dad by providing a fun and caring atmosphere and interaction through activities and play.

Through activities the child often displays emotions such as aggression therefore we enable the child to let off steam through using resourses in the nursery.

Displays of the child’s work are mounted on the walls to promote the child’s self-esteem leaving the child with feelings of contentment and happiness.

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

Intellectual development is encouraged through all aspects of the nurseries daily activities and routines. Learning through play is our aim while having lots of fun.

Children learn to count and get an introduction to basic subtraction as we play “5 current buns in a Bakers shop” Numbers are chanted in both English and Spanish through rhyme and song

Sorting colours into sets teaches ability to match, and colours are learnt in both English and Spanish.

Memory recall is encouraged as the children sing song such as “music man” and “If you’re happy and you know it”. The children recall actions and put them into order and sequence. Memory recall is an integral part of intellectual development. Matching and sorting toys allows the child’s mathematical ability to expand.

Imagination is encouraged as the children dress up and take part in role-play. The home corner gives opportunity to provide the child with imagination.

LANGUAGE

Language is spoken in English and Spanish throughout the day by our English and Spanish staff. Children’s language skills are encouraged through conversation, adult to child and child-to-child through songs and rhymes. Also through playing and through simple commands and instruction from adults.

SOCIAL DEVELPOMENT

Social skills such as turn taking and sharing are promoted as the child learns that it is nice to wait until another child has finished with a toy before taking it off them.

Social interaction is encouraged as the child makes friends and learns to listen to each other, respecting their feelings and requests.

Feelings of compassion are often shown as the child comforts another child who is sad or fallen over. Learning to love each other is promoted in nursery as we encourage the children to give hugs after a falling out and through songs such as “I love you” and “Good morning”

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Throughout the year we celebrate festivals in Spanish and English eg. Christmas, Easter.We also have a Nativity Play, with Father Christmas visiting, Sports day and many other special occasions throughout the Year.