A small, cosy Pre-School situated in the village of Bourton.
Are you looking for a place where your child can learn and grow at their own pace? A place filled with adventure and where crafts fuel creativity?
Do you seek an environment where your little one is safe to explore and discover?
We at Bourton & Zeals Pre-School nurture the curiosity of each child so that they grow in knowledge and in confidence of their capabilities through child-led learning.
All young children have a natural desire to learn, explore and question. Bourton & Zeals Pre-school and Practitioners offer core provisions and an environment that enables this activity in order to capture the moment of engagement for each child. Careful observation by our staff is key to utilising the in the moment planning approach – opportunities to seize the moment when a child shows a level of interest and curiosity that can be drawn out and then enhanced and built upon need to be recognised – these are normally called ‘teachable moments’. Written ‘planning’ is then done retrospectively in the form of observations, records of the interactions and notes on outcomes.
Teachable moments are about recognising that children often learn in an unconscious way during casual or less formal interactions. Children are given the opportunity to choose of their own accord with what or where they will play instead of being told or focused by the adult on what they should do. When the adult engages with the child they go to the child to enquire about the activity, rather than calling the child to them. The adult is then curious and enthusiastic about what the child is doing, which leads to a moment where child led learning can take place.
For example, if a child is playing with a ball, and they are asked what they like about it they might reply ‘it’s round’. This can be capitalised on to engage the child in curiosity and conversation about other shapes.